Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Elves of All Kinds (1x1)

"Oh." Valenthion looked down at her, seeming to be thinking. After a few moments he nodded. "Okay. I'll make sure she's okay." He smiled up at Raeliel, leaning against her.

Raeliel smiled. "..I know you will." She watched the baby, still worried. She was so tiny. So small and frail. "I...I'm sure it will get better...as she grows up. She's just small right now, so they are weak..." She took in a deep breath and let it out, then looked at Valenthion. "How have you been? I'm sorry I haven't been able to spend much time with you."

"Good... Talainna and I played with a few of the other kids in the river yesterday," Valenthion said with a little shrug. After a few moments, he looked down at Belle. "She'll be able to play when she gets older, right?" he asked.

Raeliel nodded slightly. "I hope so. She should be able to." She glanced at the door. "Speaking of Talainna, your father is taking a while to get her..." She hoped everything was alright. She looked back to the baby. "It will take her a while to play like you do. She needs to grow first. She needs to learn to sit, and crawl, and walk and things like that. But she can play games for babies before she does all that."

Valenthion nodded in return. "What games do babies play?...can I play with her?" He wasn't sure if he needed sight in order to play with the baby. He did alright with other kids, but babies were an unknown species to him.

Raeliel thought for a few moments. "I'm sure we can find some things for you to play with her. Unfortunately you won't be allowed to be left alone with her while she's a baby, but that's fine you don't need to worry about that. I'm sure there are some games you can play with her that will make her laugh even though you can't see. That's the main thing about playing with babies; the point is to make them giggle."

"Okay." Valenthion smiled a bit, then listened for a few moments. "Why isn't Dad back yet?" Indeed, he had official begun to call them by parental titles. But it had been a while since Saelhil left, now hadn't it?

Raeliel frowned slightly at the question. She had been wondering the same thing. "...I'm not sure." She wasn't really in shape to be able to go search for him, and Valenthion was blind. So Raeliel sent one of the nursemaids to go find him. "Maybe he just got caught up talking to someone." She took the baby back gently, since the child started to stir and fuss. Belle calmed down once she was cuddled against Raeliel. "She's used to me. Babies cry sometimes, I don't want you to ever think you did something wrong, okay? They just cry sometimes."

Valenthion watched her take the baby, and he nodded slightly. He leaned against Raeliel quietly. "Babies sure are a lot of trouble..." he murmured.

It was only a few minutes before the nursemaid returned, her face as pale as a sheet. "Th-Thortharion has had a relapse!" she exclaimed, then shook her head slightly, trying to calm down. "Saelhil's father is having the symptoms of the poison again. They've come out of nowhere... Saelhil is with him now."

Raeliel gasped at the news. "T...take me there!" The nursemaid insisted she wasn't well enough to walk, but Raeliel was determined. She got up, carefully carrying the baby, and went as fast as she could to Thortharion and Saelhil. Thortharion needed to meet his granddaughter, to give him strength to keep fighting the illness.

By the time Raeliel arrived, medics were buzzing around the chieftain, trying to give him medicine. But he would only vomit it up, and when his stomach was empty, he would cough up blood. He was as pale and obviously in much pain; he looked even worse than when he first arrived, now with so many scars from his injuries.

Saelhil sat dutifully by his father, wiping away sweat and blood with a cold rag with a pained look in his eyes. When he glanced up to Raeliel, he looked absolutely broken, and his gaze only lingered for a moment on Belle before looking back at his father.

Raeliel recognized the scene. It was not a scene that boded well. "...Thortharion. I want you to meet your granddaughter. Bellana." She held the baby carefully so that he could see the child and her little face. "...she's beautiful, isn't she?"

Thortharion coughed violently for a few moments, causing need for his face to be wiped clean. But he heard Raeliel and saw the little girl. His breathing was sharp and uneven, but a weak, pained smile came to his face.

Saelhil saw what Raeliel was doing, and he smiled sadly, gripping his father's hand. "She has Mother's eyes, doesn't she, Father?" he asked softly. Thortharion grimaced slightly as a shockwave of pain washed through him, but he did his best to smile afterwards.

"M-Mm," was all he managed to say in reply to both of them, studying his granddaughter's face.

Raeliel kept the baby held so he could see it, letting him look at his granddaughter. "She is only a day old. Valenthion is so excited." She watched Thortharion, then looked at Saelhil sadly. She didn't see a comeback for him this time. It was too bad. "She's going to be the prettiest little girl in the world, aside from Talainna of course."

Saelhil kept his eyes on his father, holding his hand tightly. He, too, knew that this could be the end. But perhaps seeing Belle would at least make his father happy for a little while... At least he didn't know of her breathing problems.

Thortharion made an attempt at a chuckle, and he reached up towards Belle. His hand retracted as he coughed a few times, but he managed to reach her the second try, gently stroking the girl's head. He was weak, and his hand trembled as he ran his fingers through her feathery hair. He seemed very pleased and content while he stroked her hair.

Raeliel carefully moved the baby closer so that he could touch her without having to struggle so much. The baby stirred and cooed softly. "She likes you..." Raeliel smiled a little bit. "She knows her grandpa.." She moved a little to carefully settle the child by his side, in the nook of his arm, so he could 'hold' her without having to make any effort. Raeliel felt like crying. She did her best to hold back, though, for Saelhil.

Thortharion held the child to his side, smiling at the baby's movements at soft noises. He used his free hand to trace Belle's face, trying to keep his coughs in his chest as he held his granddaughter. His eyes twinkled brightly despite how much pain he was in. He tried to speak, but the effort was too much, and he just lay there quietly with his granddaughter.

Saelhil watched, tears collecting in his eyes. The medics saw what was happening, and realized that there was no saving the chieftain now. They left the little family in peace for now, allowing them to do what they would for the poor chieftain.

Raeliel said nothing. She reached over and took Saelhil's hand, holding it. She whispered to him if she should go get Talainna, and if he said yes then she would hurry to fetch the young girl. But either way, she would let Thortharion enjoy his last few moments with his granddaughter.

Saelhil did say yes. When Raeliel returned, Talainna rushed to her father's side, tears already in her eyes. "Daddy?" she would ask, reaching for his hand. She inhaled a wavering breath. "Daddy, no..."

Thortharion turned his attention to his daughter, smiling softly at her. "T-Tala..." was all he could get out before he started coughing. He squeezed her hand weakly, rubbing his thumb over her soft hand. Talainna, for the first time in her life, honestly looked scared to death, watching her father. Thortharion had no more strength to speak, but he mouthed I love you to his daughter before looking over at Raeliel and Saelhil. He nodded slightly to them, smiling weakly, as if giving them his blessing, before giving one final glance to his granddaughter. He coughed a pitiful, sickly cough, and leaned his head back on the pillow. He closed his eyes and inhaled.

A long, soft exhale signaled the old elf's passing.

Talainna immediately began to weep, throwing her arms around her father, sobbing into his chest. Saelhil remained seated in the chair, allowing Talainna to cry. He himself, however, remained practically stoic, grasping Raeliel's hand rather tightly. His other hand grasped his knee so tightly that his knuckles were turning white, and he could feel his short nails through the fabric of his pant leg.

Raeliel watched with a broken heart. She managed to pry her hand from Saelhil's and take the baby from the dead man's side, holding the child gently. She just watched. That was all she could do. Watch the two people who meant the most to her, suffer in agony. She felt so helpless. She stood up and went back to the room. There was nothing she could do. They needed the chance to mourn as a family, as siblings. And Belle was going to wake up crying for food any moment. She quietly told Valenthion what had happened and sent him off to play or something, and laid back in bed. Once Belle was fed she fell back asleep. Raeliel, however, could not. There was so much sadness inside of her that she didn't know what to do.