Compendium
i.) Baby Mine
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Requested by Rethira [on Livejournal]
Erk and Louise, mothering.
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It was a cold rainy night when she first met him, a small child who trembled in fear and awe as he stood in the front hall of Castle Reglay, tiny fists clenched tightly at his sides. Such a sad little thing, she thought. So cold and alone.
But then, she thought, wasn't she just the same? She was just married, still unsure in her new role as the famed Count Reglay's wife, unused to the intricacies and politics of the high nobility, and as she looked at the small, pale child her husband had brought home, she felt a surge of empathy for him.
"Louise," her husband told her, "this is Erk. He will be staying with us from now on."
And then it began—her first forays into motherhood. The years passed as she watched him pass from childhood to adolescence and to the threshold of manhood, and now he stood before her, no longer a boy but a man.
Somewhere along the way she had borne two children of her own, her hair becoming lined with gray, fine lines creasing around her eyes with every smile, every laugh. He, too, had changed, no longer an awkward boy, but a man who towered over, head held high with pride.
And now it was time for the occasion she had long known would happen but did not expect to occur so soon. As they stood together in a small chamber near the great ceremony hall and the delicate young lady who waited there for him, she looked at him and smiled, forcing herself to hide the tears—of happiness? grief?—that threatened to spill.
"I must thank you," he said to her. "For everything."
She looked at him. "What for?"
He smiled. "You and Master Pent took me in when I was only a child on the streets. You raised me as your own, even if I was only Master Pent's student." He closed his eyes. "You gave me a family again."
"Erk..."
"They say that a son takes after the parent who cared for him the most." He opened his eyes, and for the first time she could ever recall saw them glazed over with tears. "I am glad that I have a mother like you."
And then he was gone, long strides carrying him through the ornate doors and to the rest of his life.
She smiled at the sight of his retreating back, heart heavy with a bittersweet emotion she could not name but finally understood. "Good luck," she whispered, "my son."
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Xirysa Says: So. A collection of drabbles, crackfills, and other things I can't (or am to lazy to) post as a standalone piece, originating from a meme on Livejournal. I'll gradually post the other fills in the next few days, and whenever I have other random drabbles I'll likely add them here too. Maybe some kink meme fills, too.
So yeah. Essentially, a compendium of smaller pieces. 8D
This piece was actually really fun to write. I love family pieces, so seeing this prompt, and subsequently filling it, was really gratifying.
Like always, feedback is welcome—thanks for reading!