Chapter 2: Add a little more insanity
"You're it!" Hezen tagged Letharia. She was playing with her friends outside, Hezen, Norhin, Ileona and Feylean. Three girls and two boys. They obviously loved playing tag together on the streets. They also enjoyed playing hide and seek. Letharia looked around her, looking for her closest friend. Norhin was taunting her "Come catch me if you can!" He stuck out his tongue. "I will catch you!" Letharia ran after him. Her pigtails bobbled up and down as she did so. The others laughed as Norhin was being chased in circles. Obviously he was untouchable. Letharia couldn't keep up with him. She gave up and started chasing Feylean. "You be it!" Letharia exclaimed after her, as she sprinted behind. Letharia has always been slow and not too good at running. She was a little smaller and chubbier than her friends. As she was running after her friend, she ran into the legs on an adult Sin'dorei. She fell down onto her bum and looked up at the him. The man looked down at her with a warm small and held his hand out to her. Letharia inspected the hand before reaching out to it. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you running." He said warmly. Letharia just looked at him in amazement. "Are you hurt?" He asked as he eyed her up and down as the little young girl she was. Letharia swiftly shook her head "No no, I'm okay!" She smiled brightly at the stranger. Letharia's friends move closer, sceptically looking at the man. The Sin'dorei looked up at the sky, dark clouds started to gather. "It seems it's going to rain soon, kids." He said, as he stepped forward. Ileona and Feylean looked up as well, with a disappointed facial expression. "That's okay, I'm going home now!" Hezen said as he waved his friends goodbye. And the others one by one also said their farewells and headed home. The stranger looked down to Letharia. "Aren't you going home too?" Letharia looked up at him with a saddened face. "I don't want to go home!" She exclaimed. "Where is your mother?" The man asked as he kneeled down to her. "Home..." She said reluctantly. Before the man could speak any more, he heard someone in the distance. "Hey! What are you doing?!" Another tall Sin'dorei with long blond hair pulled Letharia away from the stranger. Letharia looked up at the new person, it was her father. "Daddy!" She hugged his leg. Ririon showed no sympathy to the stranger. "What were you doing with my daughter?" He said with an ominous tone to his voice. "My apologies sir, your daughter happened to run into me while she was playing tag with her friends. It seems it's going to rain soon." He replied politely and cast a gaze down to Letharia "She refused to go home." Ririon sighed, somewhat finding it hard to believe the stranger's words. Without any thanks of goodbyes, Ririon turned to walk home with Letharia's hand clutched into his. Letharia looked up at Ririon. "Dad? Are you angry?" She noticed his face looked completely unamused and his grip was a bit tight. "No, my dear." He looked down at the innocent face of Letharia "I don't want you to talk to strangers." Letharia nodded "Okay, daddy!" She smiled up at her father. "Good girl..." He replied.
"I'm home!" Letharia shouted as she skipped through the hall. She remembers that's what her father always says after she comes home. "Where have you been, Letharia?" Bellerise asked in worry and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "She was outside with some strange man." Ririon said. Bellerise looked up at him "She what?" Her gaze shifted back to Letharia "Have you been talking to strangers again?" She asked. Like a puppy who was being told off Letharia looked to the ground "I'm sorry, mummy." She apologized. Bellerise could never deny her apology like that, and pat her head. "It's okay, dear, as long as you don't talk to strangers. They can be dangerous." She warned her. Letharia nodded before skipping to her toys to play with. Bellerise stood up and planted a kiss on Ririon's lips "Welcome home, love." She said, before heading off to cook dinner.
"Daddy come play with me!" Letharia said as she picked up a few stuffed animals. Ririon sighed and shook his head. "No dear. Daddy has work to do." Letharia's ears lowered with a saddened face. She seemed to be disappointed. She plonked herself down on the floor and started to play by herself, just like any other day. Ever since her father has been promoted, he doesn't want to play with Letharia anymore. Ririon retracted into his research lab to continue on his project. Letharia sighed and pushed away her stuffed animals and shuffled to the kitchen. "Muuuum" She said in a whiny tone and climbed onto her chair. "Yes, my dear?" "Dad is so mean!" Bellerise turned to Letharia at her remark "Hey, that's not a nice thing to say." She said in attempt to calm her down. Letharia rested her head on the table and muttered to herself. "Your dad works very hard, he's doing what a father should do." Bellerise said with a cheerful voice, but her face didn't seem convinced with her words, it looked rather ominously worried. "But he's still mean!" Letharia exclaimed in return. "What was that?" Ririon said, as he entered to room and sit down on his spot at the table. Letharia frowned.
After dinner, Ririon had retreated into his research lab again and everything was like usual. "Mummy?" Letharia pulled Bellerise's sleeve. Bellerise looked down at her daughter "Yes?" Letharia pursed her lips "Are you lonely?" She asked with honesty filled in her eyes. Bellerise sighed and looked down at Letharia. "Sweetheart, it doesn't matter how lonely I am. We're all still together as a family. He has his job and that's completely fine. I love him still as much." She said as she stroked her daughters head. Letharia pressed up a smile reluctantly. "If he makes you happy, than I am happy too!" Letharia said.
Ririon sat in silence, staring at his desk. His hands were running wildly through his messy hair. 'I need more...' He pondered 'More what?' He asked himself in his thoughts. He straightened his back as if he was shocked that he replied to himself without even trying to. He shook his head and clutched to his quill. His eyes dwelled over the paper, which was full of scribbles. He restrained his frustration once more. 'Calm down.' He thought to himself as he stood up. His fingers traced the books on the bookcase before picking one out. His attention immediately drew towards a book called "Immortality". The book was clearly to be involved with demonic magic. Ririon pulled it out to read a few pages of the book, but quickly placed it back as he shook his head. It wasn't what he was looking for. Or was it?