Runaway (November 2982) (Runa) (CW)
Jan 7, 2018 0:38:49 GMT -5
Post by Ceolmund on Jan 7, 2018 0:38:49 GMT -5
(Content warning: child abuse)
It was the type of November day in which the sun was shining blue and bright, but the air was cool, and you left your window's cracked for the draft of freshness that could be had before the harshness of winter set in. The breeze was whistling heavy through the hill town, ruffling the copper hair of the copper hair of a woman as she shuffled out of her home. Her shawl had been hastily grasped and was lopsided over her shoulders, and she squeezed it more tightly about her as she came to the neighbor's front door.
“Hello? Hildred?” Solweig called lightly through the front window after having given a few gentle raps on the door. She did not wish to shout or knock too loudly, for fear of waking the baby. Hildred's baby was a wailer when she awakened. Solweig didn't mind, of course. She was expecting her own child in the coming months. She and her young husband had been married the past June, and had put down for the house next door soon before.
The previous owner had them meet him at the bowyer's shop near the market, and had insisted on both of them being present. He had asked so many strange and prying questions about their habits, in exchange for offering a quick and fair deal. It was strange, to say the least, but he had been kindly, and they had been happy with their home in the past months. The neighbors here were good to them.
There was no sound of baby's cries, so perhaps no damage had been done. Solweig shifted on her feet and pressed a hand over her lightly rounding belly. Certainly Hildred would wish to know. Perhaps she was in the kitchen and did not hear the first time.
“Hildred!” she called a bit louder, tapping on the door once more and frowning lightly. Finally she heard the footsteps coming to open the door to her.
“Hildred, I don't mean to disturb you, but… there was a little boy. I saw him stacking logs next to the house on the side for a time. I thought perhaps a little friend of Beorhtric's, but I didn't see your son. I wasn't sure if you knew... I tried to call to him from my window, but he... shushed me... and climbed in yours. I didn't know if you had the baby in there…”
–
“Wuna!” Ceolmund had delighted to find her right where he had last left her when he had been here so many months ago, her eyes fluttering open at his soft voice. He peered over the edge of the cradle, dropping Hakon in beside her, and his bag of food and wooden sword on the floor. “You got so big! Wait fow me...”
He stepped back and looked about the room quickly, finally seeing a wooden crate that had been pushed under the edge of the bed. Taking the crate, he flipped it over and climbed on top, then pulled himself carefully into the cradle beside the baby, who was rolling over on her side and reaching chubby fingers out to him, already cooing and babbling, and wiggling in excitement. Ceolmund reached out and helped her pull her legs from the swaddle, giggling at her tiny toes and chubby thighs, which she lifted up into the air to wave in their new freedom. “You can wide a howse soon I think,” he told her, patting her thigh. Then, he lifted her enough that she could sit up between his legs.
“Wuna, you'we talking now,” he grinned at her babbles. The baby smiled back at him. “I'm fouw now, but you'we still a baby. Awe you weady to come to the hollow hills with me? Can you show me the fawies?” Her little hand was grabbing for his face and her lips pursed blowing spittle bubbles at him which made Ceolmund giggle.
It was the type of November day in which the sun was shining blue and bright, but the air was cool, and you left your window's cracked for the draft of freshness that could be had before the harshness of winter set in. The breeze was whistling heavy through the hill town, ruffling the copper hair of the copper hair of a woman as she shuffled out of her home. Her shawl had been hastily grasped and was lopsided over her shoulders, and she squeezed it more tightly about her as she came to the neighbor's front door.
“Hello? Hildred?” Solweig called lightly through the front window after having given a few gentle raps on the door. She did not wish to shout or knock too loudly, for fear of waking the baby. Hildred's baby was a wailer when she awakened. Solweig didn't mind, of course. She was expecting her own child in the coming months. She and her young husband had been married the past June, and had put down for the house next door soon before.
The previous owner had them meet him at the bowyer's shop near the market, and had insisted on both of them being present. He had asked so many strange and prying questions about their habits, in exchange for offering a quick and fair deal. It was strange, to say the least, but he had been kindly, and they had been happy with their home in the past months. The neighbors here were good to them.
There was no sound of baby's cries, so perhaps no damage had been done. Solweig shifted on her feet and pressed a hand over her lightly rounding belly. Certainly Hildred would wish to know. Perhaps she was in the kitchen and did not hear the first time.
“Hildred!” she called a bit louder, tapping on the door once more and frowning lightly. Finally she heard the footsteps coming to open the door to her.
“Hildred, I don't mean to disturb you, but… there was a little boy. I saw him stacking logs next to the house on the side for a time. I thought perhaps a little friend of Beorhtric's, but I didn't see your son. I wasn't sure if you knew... I tried to call to him from my window, but he... shushed me... and climbed in yours. I didn't know if you had the baby in there…”
–
“Wuna!” Ceolmund had delighted to find her right where he had last left her when he had been here so many months ago, her eyes fluttering open at his soft voice. He peered over the edge of the cradle, dropping Hakon in beside her, and his bag of food and wooden sword on the floor. “You got so big! Wait fow me...”
He stepped back and looked about the room quickly, finally seeing a wooden crate that had been pushed under the edge of the bed. Taking the crate, he flipped it over and climbed on top, then pulled himself carefully into the cradle beside the baby, who was rolling over on her side and reaching chubby fingers out to him, already cooing and babbling, and wiggling in excitement. Ceolmund reached out and helped her pull her legs from the swaddle, giggling at her tiny toes and chubby thighs, which she lifted up into the air to wave in their new freedom. “You can wide a howse soon I think,” he told her, patting her thigh. Then, he lifted her enough that she could sit up between his legs.
“Wuna, you'we talking now,” he grinned at her babbles. The baby smiled back at him. “I'm fouw now, but you'we still a baby. Awe you weady to come to the hollow hills with me? Can you show me the fawies?” Her little hand was grabbing for his face and her lips pursed blowing spittle bubbles at him which made Ceolmund giggle.