Private Wild Heart

[Thebba Hearthfire]

"Wait," the small voice called out, softly yet with a firmness that spoke of a seriousness in the air. "Do you hear that, Brothie?" As the pair paused to listen, all that would be heard was the whistling of wind through the leaves, and the creaking of ancient boughs overhead. Still, Thebba held up one hand, eyes scanning this way and that while her ears practically twitched.​

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In the distance a soft whine drifted in on the breeze.​

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"There!" she quietly exclaimed, words coming out more like a hiss than anything. The last thing the youngest Hearthfire wanted was to spook whoever or whatever it was that'd stumbled upon. Reaching out, she took her brother by the hand and gently tugged him on through the trees. Every now and then she'd stop and strain to hear, and those whines grew in volume and frequency. "Something's hurt" she whimpered, "We got's to do something, Thib..."​

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Thibbi Hearthfire ​

 

[Thibbi Hearthfire]

"I hear it," the boy perked up, taking his idle hands out of his pockets to settle upon his sister's shoulder. He knew she was prone to leaping heedlessly into potentially dangerous situations, even for one so young as they.

"Wait," he pulled her down to hide inside a nearby bush. "That's not a bird or squirrel." The pained sound was noticeably more gruff and menacing. Still, he could never deny Thebba's kind heart. "We need to be sneaky," he whispered. "Come on."

He led her by the hand, crawling through the lush underbrush easily hiding their small figures until they finally found themselves a vantage point. Up ahead, by a small creek, there lay a recently slain wolf-like creature of enormous proportions. "It's a dire wolf," he gasped, thinking he'd never witness one in the flesh. "But, it looks already dead. Then, what's making that noise...?"

Thibbi was silenced the moment the dire wolf's killer revealed itself, visibly injured in the attack as it limped about on a bloody hind leg and proceeded to rip a chunk of flesh from the large cadaver.

"Sabretooth," he ducked down. "If it smells us we'll be next!"

Thebba Hearthfire

 

[Thebba Hearthfire]

As much as Thibbi was known to follow his twin around, when push came to shove and things turned serious, or more dire, Thebba always listened to his caution. Perhaps it helped to know that he'd never truly deprive her of her whims, that together they would find a way to see their adventures through. No, Thibbi wasn't trying to get them to retreat, to run back home and leave the injured animals where they were, he just wanted them to be quiet, to approach unseen and unheard.​

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Well, having learned from the Aelvar they knew how to be fleet of foot, to touch the ground delicately, as though treading on potentially thin ice.​

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Hand in hand, and crouched low in the underbrush, they meandered their way forward until they could peek out at the clearing beyond. Thebba's hand tightened in Thib's to see the downed dire-wolf, and even when the Frír appeared she was more unsettled by its lame leg than the blood clinging to its sabre-teeth.​

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She did duck with him, but her heart thumped to a new beat... A determined beat.​

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"We haves to helps it, Brothie" the snow-haired child pleaded, "I been practicing; soothing like Miss Olthrien showed. I'm not scared, Thibbi." When claiming she felt no fear she tipped up her chin and tried to seem sure of herself. Then her brows crumpled inward slightly. "We can't kills it, or lets it die, or..."​

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Her plea for the sabre's life tapered off as something quite unexpected peeked from the brush closest to the downed dire. Snuffling at the air, she recognized it quite immediately as a pup, and her heart leapt uncomfortably into her throat.​

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"Baby" she whined, "We can't let the sabre get it..." But nor would Thebba let the beast be killed. Quite the conundrum.​

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Thibbi Hearthfire ​

 

[Thibbi Hearthfire]

Thibbi noticed the same thing his sister had. A snow-white pup hid amidst the green foliage, hoping to elude its mother's killer. All he wanted to do was to drag Ebbie away and run back home, leaving the poor thing to its fate. Maybe it would get away without them having to risk their lives.

But he knew his sister. She would never forgive him, not when an innocent life was in trouble and they could offer help, and he could not live without her happiness. No, running for safety was not an option. Not when she'd made her mind up.

The decision was further made for him when the Sabretooth began to investigate the curious bush which seemed to rustle despite the lack of wind. His hands acted on their own, managing to scrounge up a rock. "Hey," he shot up from their hiding place, throwing the rock at the terrifying beast to draw its attention. "Leave it alone!"

Annoyed by the rock thrown at him, the Frir spun around and bared its large teeth, each easily the size of their palm, and snarled menacingly. "He hasn't seen you," he quickly turned to Thebba. "I'll draw him off, you save the pup!" There wasn't any more time for elaboration as the feared predator began making its way towards the witless boy. Man-flesh wasn't usually so willing to serve itself up.

Thibbi took off running as fast as he could, leaving Thebba behind to save the pup. He would cast his gaze over his shoulder to see whether he was still being followed, and each time the Sabretooth would appear bigger and meaner.

Thebba Hearthfire

 

[Thebba Hearthfire]

Thibbi was fast to act, faster, in fact, than she had been expecting. Of course given how the sabretooth prowled toward the bush-hiding pup it was understandable, but even so her mind took a few seconds to catch up. By then the rock had been tossed, and her beloved brother was already racing off.​

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Well, if he was going to draw it away the least she could do was make it a worthwhile decision. Thebba leapt into action, and raced over to the fallen dire-mother, and the pups hidden within the brush. She knelt beside the gutted one first, resting a hand upon its forehead. "Please," she whispered as she sank down, but there wasn't even a hint of life left in it. Thebba's heart broke, but another rustle of the leaves drew her attention back to something she could in fact help with.​

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She approached the bush and found more than just the snow-white babe nestled within. Not one, but three... Didn't wolves usually have more than that? 4, or 5, or even 6? Where were the others?​

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Thebba realized she didn't have time to worry over that, so she gently reached down to scoop them up, wrapping them in her cloak to be able to carry the three of them. One white, one black, and one which was almost reddish. That last one was smaller than the others, weak even. Already her mind was racing with concerns, and thoughts on how to ensure it didn't pass too.​

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Rising back to her feet, she turned to stare in the direction Thibbi had fled. She had to do something, find a way to draw the frir back, but how? She was overburdened already with the three pups.​

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Thibbi Hearthfire ​

 

[Thibbi Hearthfire]

Bounding through the woods as fast as his skinny legs could carry him, Thibbi realised he could not keep this up forever. He would either get too exhausted to continue or he would get stuck in some thicket or trip over a fallen log. He needed to outsmart the predator.

Spotting a tree up ahead, the boy rushed over to begin climbing its lowest branches. He was a good climber, having acted on his sister's wishes to return lost chicks to their nests or to feed squirrels with recently procured acorns. While he found such gestures a bit silly, he always followed through if Thebba's happiness was in question. Besides, tree-climbing was fun!

There was nothing fun about this particular climb, however, as he would find that even as he reached the higher branches his pursuer would simply follow, bounding from branch to branch far quicker than the boy could hope to climb. Inevitably, the Sabretooth caught up with him, lashing at him with its large paws from below. Thibbi did his best to cling to the thick branch, but one of the frir's claws caught him by his belt and pulled him from safety, causing Thibbi to tumble down.

He fell on top of the feline's back only to roll off immediately, hitting a branch on the way down. The underbrush was mossy-green, breaking his fall like a soft pillow, but he found he couldn't move his left arm without significant pain. Exhausted and dizzy from the fall, he found himself at the Sabretooth's mercy at the foot of the great tree.

"No, stop," he cried out, holding out his right hand in a feeble effort to defend himself. The frir strode up to him, unperturbed. "Don't come any closer!"

Thibbi closed his eyes and looked away as the large cat pounced, thinking this was it. But the menacing roar suddenly turned to whimpers, and upon looking he found that the frir had recoiled. From the palm of his hand sputtered what he could only describe as blue embers, the aftermath of what had been an unintentional act of self-defence.

Confused, he barely had time to react when the feline prepared for another coup-de-grace, albeit a tad more cautiously than before. This time, however, it was not inner fire which would come to the boy's rescue, but rather the wide-arcing swing of a tree's bough knocking the Sabretooth aside mid-pounce. Looking up, Thibbi found that the same tree he'd climbed had come to life. Realising its defeat, the frir was last seen running off to lick its wounds.

"A Skaugr," he marvelled with wide eyes. The Aelvar spoke often of Shepherds of the Forest; great tree-men slumbering for long periods of time, rarely revealing themselves to the younger races unless in their hour of need. "Th-thank you," the boy said, only for said tree-man to move its leg Thibbi had been resting against, causing him to fall over. The Skaugr then lowered its featureless face enough so that he might caress it.

"Uhm, c-could you help me find my sister," he boldly asked, as he did not know his way back to her. Next thing he knew, Thibbi was being swept off the ground to sit atop its highest boughs from where he could see for miles in every direction. With its great strides, it was only a matter of minutes before Thebba would find herself face-to-face with the most ancient being native to Midvinter.

Thebba Hearthfire

 

[Thebba Hearthfire]

Overburdened or not, Thebba was soon on the move toward where her brother had fled. Part of her wanted to call out for him, but what if that proved to be a deadly distraction? One of the pups whined softly, and she found herself shushing it with delicate words. ​

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"It's okay, little one" she assured him, picking up the pace in order to cover more ground, "Everything's going to be alright..."​

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A large roar in the distance had her heart up in her throat. At least she was headed in the right direction, but even so she did not like the sound of it. Maybe it would be best if she distract?​

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"THIBBI!" Her usually feather-light footing turned heavy and clumsy as she dropped all sense of decorum and sprinted on, and her voice rang loudly through the woods. "Please be okay, please be---"​

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If her steps were heavy then those which soon rumbled through the trees was downright thunderous, heavier than a hundred mounted soldiers galloping in unison. She gasped moments before the Skaugr appeared; Thebba shied back, clutching the bundle of wolf pups protectively. She could feel Thibbi's presence, but she couldn't yet see him.​

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"I-Ibbi..?"​

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Another tiny step back was taken. She had thought the Skaugr were just a made up story, only now she couldn't even remember said stories. Were they nice?​

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Gods, she hoped they were nice.​

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Thibbi Hearthfire ​

 

[Thibbi Hearthfire]

"Ebbie," the boy called from atop the tree-man's crown of leaves, waving at his bewildered sister. "Okay, Mister Tree, you can drop me off here!"

The towering Skaugr groaned and cracked as its wooden form lowered itself to the ground, allowing the tiny passenger to slide off its neck. Thibbi landed on his feet and ran over to hug his sister, not yet realising she was carrying the three pups bundled up inside her cloak.

"I'm alright," he assured her, awaiting the inevitable inspection of cuts and bruises. No doubt she would find out about his broken arm rather quickly. "Mister Tree helped me. Thank you, Mister Tree!" The ancient shepherd of the forest tilted its featureless head before wandering off deeper into the woods where it may find a new resting place. Thibbi watched it blend seamlessly into the flora and listened as its thunderous strides grew ever distant, then turned to his sister and grinned a boyish grin.

It was right then that they were suddenly caught by another creature of the forest - their mother.

"What is Éar's name do you think you're doing out here all by yourselves," Kära appeared seemingly out of nowhere, clad in her cloak made entirely from leaves. She grabbed hold of their shoulders so they wouldn't get any ideas. "I was worried sick for you two!"

Thebba Hearthfire

 

[Thebba Hearthfire]

Thibbi was... in the tree? The moving tree? She strained her neck up to look at him, awe set across her features, then watched as he was seamlessly lowered down with creaks and groans from the ancient boughs. He hurried over to her the moment his feet touched the ground, and she held him with one arm while the other kept the pups safely nestled against her chest.​

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He claimed that he was alright, but Ebbie and Ibbie were too close for that to work. She frowned, and pulled back to look at him - specifically his arm. "I'm sorry, Ib," she said, tears immediately springing up even though he was putting on a good show of being okay. "Your poor arm..." She reached out a hand, hovering it slightly over where the break seemed to lay.​

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The arrival of their mother only made matters worse, and soon Thebba's misty eyes were pooling forth legitimate tears.​

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"I'm sorry" she sobbed, "I just couldn't leave them to be eaten, I didn't mean for Thibbi to get hurt, I promise!" Sucking in a soft breath, she heard the snuffling and whimpering of the little wolf pups and that only made her crying worse.​

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"They're all alone now" she bawled, "I... I couldn't... saves... their mama..."​

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Thebba did not notice the golden warmth suddenly radiating from her hands, like the bright glow of a pyre it sprang forth to envelop her brother's broken arm. It was not red hot, it did not bubble or burn, instead it soothed, softly healing.​

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Of course, when the girl saw it her eyes widened and she quickly drew her hand away.​

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"Did I burn yous? Oh noes, Brothie, I'm so sorry..."​

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Thibbi Hearthfire ​

 

[Thibbi Hearthfire]

"Mum," he gasped at her sudden appearance. "I-it was my fault, I told her to..."

A strange yet gentle sensation spread through his body, taking away the pain of his broken arm and torn muscles. Looking down, he saw the golden glow coming from his sister's palm, its flames harmlessly engulfing his arm. When it was over, his arm was as good as new, as if having never been broken in the first place.

"It didn't hurt," he told her, utterly amazed. "I feel... good."

Their mother was stopped dead in her tracks by the unexpected event, kneeling in the moss before her littlest ones with wide eyes. She first grabbed onto Thibbi's arm, but there was no pain whatsoever. Then she turned to Thebba and grabbed her hand, studying her palm.

"Thebba, is this the first time this has happened," she asked out of motherly concern. "How did you do this?"

Thibbi found himself staring down at his own palm, something the observant Kära hadn't failed to notice. "Thibbi?"

"Uhm... I think it happened to me too, before. Something hot and bright blue came out of my hand and..."

Kära grabbed his hand as well, examining the both of them next to each other. She didn't say anything, however, her eyes fluttered as if trying to hold back a tide of emotions. Instead, her gaze snapped to one of the pups her wee girl was clutching to her chest as it let out a soft yawn.

"Come," she told the twins, rising to her feet. "Bring the pups. But, you will train them yourselves and you will feed them yourselves, understood?" She directed the question to Thebba, knowing she was the hopeless animal lover of the family.

Thibbi shared a bewildered look with his sister, only for the black-coated pup to draw his attention, happily panting with its little pink tongue out. He took his sister by the hand as they followed their mother home on familiar paths.

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Thebba Hearthfire

 

[Thebba Hearthfire]

Thibbi assured her that it had not hurt, quite the opposite in fact it left his arm feeling good... Healed. She couldn't say much about it before her hand was taken and inspected by their mother, and with wide eyes she peered up at the woman as a whole sleuth of emotions ran across her expression. She seemed concerned, yes, but also in awe... and emotional?​

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"What's wrong, Mama?" she asked, through the occasional sniffle. Kära's reaction had been enough to briefly snap her out of her near-hysterics, and when she saw the woman's gaze drift to Thibbi (who was also staring at his hands) the girl's confusion only deepened.​

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"Yes," she swore, "I don't know what happened. Is... Is it bad?" Had she done something she shouldn't have? The revelation that her brother had encountered similar made Thebba's eyes widen. She tried to catch his eye, though the snuffling of the yawning pup had her gaze drifting back down to her cloak.​

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Relief washed over her when she was permitted to keep the babes. "Really? Yes, Mama! I'll do it all myself, I promise."​

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Hand in hand with her brother, she followed after their mother on the familiar road home. She was quiet, and every now and then she'd stare at their linked hands in confusion.​

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Thibbi Hearthfire ​

 

[Thibbi Hearthfire]

"I'll help," Thibbi whispered on their journey back home, unwilling to let his sister take on every responsibility herself when it came to the pups. Besides, since he took such a risk saving them he might as well follow through with caring for them.

By evening Kära and her littlest ones arrived at her humble abode, kindly constructed for her by the Elves when it became clear that she would find no peace living at the Palace. No, the wilderness suited her frail emotional state far better. Having to forage and become self-reliant helped in maintaining focus, which slowly rebuilt her shattered state of mind. It evidently had a massive impact on the twins growing up, Thebba especially.

Once indoors, Kära set aside her walking stick and hung up her cloak made of leaves. Thibbi kicked off his own boots before kneeling to help Thebba with hers as he so often did, for as was usually the case after an excursion she more often than not brought home a wounded animal or abandoned chick and had no hands free with which to remove her own shoes. This occasion was certainly no exception.

"Come, sit with me," their mother asked of them, gathering them around the small dinner table - the only table, in fact. She took a deep breath before joining them. She had not spoken to them of their father outside of explaining why he was no longer with them.

"Let me first say that... that there's nothing wrong with either of you," she wished to allay any fears from the start. "I want to ask you something: What do you remember of your father?"

Thibbi looked at Thebba, then down at his lap where the black pup had already made itself comfortable, resting peacefully. A hesitant hand began petting its head and back.

"I remember... that he was very big and very strong. And, um..." He thought some more. "I remember his hugs, and that his kisses tickled my cheeks." It was difficult to think of his father; all he could recall were good things, but that only made it even sadder he wasn't there anymore. The wish to laugh and the urge to cry seemed to nullify one another, leaving only a blank expression on the boy's face.

Kära turned to Thebba, expecting an answer.

Thebba Hearthfire

 

[Thebba Hearthfire]

Thibbi swore to help, and that made Thebba squeeze his hand in gratitude. There were three to care for, after all, and one certainly looked to be struggling more than the others. She watched it as they approached home, it did not breathe so often as the others, and its snuffles were smaller, softer. She hadn't even heard it whimper or howl like its siblings.​

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The girl tried to remove her shoes by toeing the heel of one with the opposing foot, she'd become rather adept at such when she was in her more dressy shoes, but boots? No such luck. In fact she felt foolish for even trying when all it did was rub her achilles raw. When Thib knelt to take care of it for her she gushed. "Thank you" she whispered, still too nervous and confused to speak loudly. Their mother hadn't really said anything on the way back, and Thebba could tell something was coming.​

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Not that she could deduce whether it would be good or bad.​

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Out of her shoes, she approached the table. One of the pups peeped its head up out of her cloak, and when she sat beside her brother on the bench it tried to squirm over to him. She lifted the little guy with its blackened coat out from the warmth of her furs, and plopped it down in Thibbi's lap without a word.​

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Then the question came, and she found herself chewing on the inside of her lip. It took her brother a few moments to give his answer, and in the meantime a small black pit of guilt welled up inside her stomach.​

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What did she remember of their father?​

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"He... Had a scratchy beard..." she said, as she gently ran a finger across the forehead of little red. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes, before she shook her head. Beyond that? Beyond that, Thebba couldn't recall very much of anything. It was as though her mind had suddenly been erased.​

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Thibbi Hearthfire ​

 

[Kära Hearthfire]

Her little ones offered their answers, simple and sweet as they were. Even Kära's cold exterior melted at the notion that though her poor babes could not recall much of their sire, they most certainly did remember the warmth of his embrace. The loss of her husband's touch in the cold of the night had made the simple act of going to bed one of the most traumatic experiences imaginable, knowing he would never again hold her again. Knowing, without a doubt, she would never again wake to find him lying next to him.

"Let me tell you about your father," she swallowed her pain and reached for their hands. "He was a wise and noble king, one of the finest this world has ever seen. He was a mighty warrior, but he never fought to destroy or to conquer. He was a pr--"

The word got caught in her throat the first time. Just the mere utterance of it brought back a lifetime of memories of each and every time he'd drawn his sword in her defence or at her behest. The pain he'd suffered, all for her sake... It was overwhelming, thinking back.

"He was a protector. He was kind and caring. He was a good man, a wonderful father, and..."

A most loving husband, though she could not muster the words. Nothing she ever did could have ever made her deserving of his unconditional love, and yet he would move mountains for her.

"What is the sigil of our house," she asked. Thibbi met his mother's gaze. "The Phoenix," he answered, sensing the power of the mythical creature as he uttered its name. Kära nodded.

"Your father was a phoenix in more than just name," she went on explaining. "He was one with the element of fire and had the power to create it from within, just as I believe the two of you did back there this afternoon. Your brothers were both born with this power too, only..." Kära focused on Thebba, trying not to alarm the poor girl.

"Ebbie, I watched as your touch mended your brother's arm. I saw golden flames lick his wounds and take the pain away. This is an aspect of your father's blood I could scarcely have imagined possible, much less never expected to witness." She reached across the table to stroke their cheeks one at a time.

"I understand if you are frightened, but these powers are part of you now. You will both have to learn to exercise control, and there is no one in this world more experienced with this sort of thing than your brother Thrand."

Thebba Hearthfire

 

[Thebba Hearthfire]

As mother spoke about her late husband, their father who had been taken far too soon from the world, Thebba felt her nose begin to twitch and her eyes burn. There was so much emotion to be found within their mother's voice, her presence, the way in which she struggled over words. The young girl shifted from her seat, still carrying two of the pups, and moved around the table to embrace her tightly. Or as tightly as a young child could.​

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Only once she had conferred all the strength she possibly could did Thebba return to her seat, though not before kissing her mother's cheek softly.

Outside of this, Thebba was quiet throughout, listening intently to all that could be learned, and gently stroking her thumb across the back of mother's hand when she held theirs.

"I didn't mean to do it, mama" she swore, when the attention was turned her way. Mother had already made it known that they weren't bad, that they hadn't done anything wrong, for using these newly unearthed gifts, but worry still twisted in her gut all the same.

As her cheek was stroked, Thebba learned into the touch. Her brows furrowed, causing the bridge of her nose to wrinkle slightly, as she took it all in. Part of them... "It will happens again?" she whispered, looking down to her hand, and then across to Thibbi's. She reached out to take his.​

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Their big brother was mentioned then, and Thebba searched her mother's eyes for answers. "Will we go sees him?" she asked. It had been a long time since they'd left this neck of the woods, since they'd seen any structure besides their little home. Nerves fluttered through her belly, and the hand in Thibbi's tightened.​

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Thibbi Hearthfire ​

 

[Kära Hearthfire]

The former Queen of Midvinter felt the sting of tears as her beautiful daughter, bless her heart, offered what comfort she could. Ebbie's slender arms wrapped around her to the best of her ability, and Kära responded in kind. As their bodies connected, Kära found herself searching for that familiar warmth of her husband and found a gentle spark that reminded her of it. Her eldest son had received the same gift as his powers grew, and so would her littlest ones. She was sure of it.

"These powers are yours to wield," she informed the twins. "They are your father's final gift to you. Embrace them, and with your brother's help, you will learn to control them. Use them for good and noble pursuits, as he did." She bit her tongue on that last part, for she would not sully his name by delving farther back in time, rage-filled and destructive as they were. That creature had perished long before there was even talk of children.

No, she would be gone soon, and with her, any memory of the Ashborn - of Darth Taral - would pass into nothingness, leaving only the legacy of the Phoenix King. It was the least she could do to repay his love and absolute devotion through the decades they'd spent together.

Unaware of how long she'd stared into nothing, Kära lifted her gaze to find five pairs of eyes looking back at her, each as precious as the last.

"Yes," she finally smiled, lovingly squeezing their hands. "We will go first thing tomorrow. Now, off to bed with you! You have a big day ahead of you. As for your little friends..." The aged lady reached toward the kitchen counter to produce a set of wooden bowls, levitating them over to the table. "I'm sure they'd like a meal before bed. Poor things must be starving."

Thebba Hearthfire

 

[Thebba Hearthfire]

There was nothing quite like a mother's warm embrace, and as she was wrapped up in return Ebbie buried her face and breathed in the woman's earthy scent. While they had siblings and extended family, the twins' existence had more or less been here, with her in this beautiful, humble home, hidden away from the rest of the world, nevermind the Galaxy. The three of them, and whatever animals she brought back home with her. Ebbie relied heavily upon the both of them, they were her warmth, they were her rocks.​

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When she was back in her seat, Ebbie's tender touches turned to Thibbi instead. Her best friend, her platonic soulmate. All that was good in the world shone within his presence, and alongside him she knew no fear, no loneliness.​

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"Yes, mama," she said softly, when bid to use them for good. "I wants to helps" she added. That meant learning to control it though. That meant visiting with their biggest brother at the Aelvar capital. She felt a wave of nerves gripping her stomach, and in response her hold of Thibbi's hand tightened. How long would they be gone for? Would mother stay with them? Or would she return here, alone?​

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So many questions, yet for now they were bid toward their beds. Not before the matter of the pups was addressed, though.

"They are hungry" she agreed, as they snuffled and clicked their tongues. Even baby red. They were still so small that solids wouldn't work well for them, but Thebba knew exactly what to do. First she deposited baby red and white into her brother's lap, and then she bounded over to the icebox to fetch some of the elkki milk from within.

Soon the babes had a bowl of lightly warmed milk and another of water set before them. The stronger two were eager to lap it up, but baby red was showing yet more difficulties. After pleading for a little extra time before bed, she put some of the milk into a little bottle and hand fed red until the babe had drank its fill.

Then she made her way to bed, bundling them up in a nest of blankets. Each was given a kiss, and her brother too upon his cheek.

"I love you, Thib" she said, "Thank you for saving them."

It didn't take her long to fall asleep after the days excitement.

Fin

Thibbi Hearthfire ​