Getting kinda generous with the chapters here. Two days in a row now, but fair warning, this is only because I'm on reading week and I'm actually balancing assignments well right now. We're still kinda building up Soo-Min as a character in this chapter but hopefully if all goes well, next chapter will feature some familiar faces. I'm also trying to keep to a consistent word count, anywhere between 1,700 to 2,000 is what I how to write per chapter, besides special chapters that just have to exceed that limit. This is mostly done for the readers benefit do y'all can get chapters faster, while being an obtainable goal for me.
Hope you enjoy this new chapter.
I highly recommend that you listen to "frostfall"
on youtube as it was this chapter's inspiration and complements it well.

WORD COUNT: 1,805 words
POSTED: 02.21.17


Frostfall - Jeremy Soule


I let Miss Renata fuss over me for the next day before she allowed me to be around the other children again. Even then, if the other children were being too loud around me, they were shooed away by the old woman or her husband.

I took refuge in the books the couple kept around the house and occasionally the newspaper, if Mr Faustus was finished with them for the day. Through them, I had learned that I had ended up in a realm called Eos, and was currently living in Insomnia, the Crown city of the kingdom of Lucis.

In order to help me "remember", Miss Renata had gone over my details on file with me. In this world, I had been born to some Goryean immigrants and left on the foster home doorstep at 9 months old. The old couple had named me Cassia when I was brought here 8 years ago, but at the thought of using a name that was not my own, I demanded to use the name I knew as my own. With a lot of grumbling and sighing on the old couple's part, they reluctantly changed my name to Soo-Min.

While I had been recovering from my head injury, the other children living in the foster home had attempted to get me to participate in their games. I tried to be involved as best I could and play the part of an eight year old, but more often than not I found myself nose deep in a book about the history of Lucis and the Royal family.

But Miss Renata and Mr Faustus were concerned for me, and how reclusive I was becoming. The elderly couple went out of their way to try and speak with me, to get me involved with the other children's games. I only smiled and asked for more books to read. Eventually, the couple gave up and began giving me books in place of dolls and games. The other children also gave up in trying to include me in games, unable to come up with something that would hold my interest for longer than five minutes

Every once in awhile, there would be a hype about how potential adopters would be stopping by and take a child home. But I never really took part in it; I was a strange kid who wanted to read instead of play, and more often than not, the couple usually wasn't interested in adopting an immigrant.

It was one of those days where a couple was coming to potentially adopt, and the house was in a frenzy trying to get everyone and everything in order. I had dressed nicely as Miss Renata had requested and set up the dining room table with some refreshments with one of the older girls earlier this morning.

I sat on a couch in the sitting room, reading a battered copy of The Cosmogony, in an attempt to learn about the beliefs of the people of Eos. The Astrals were a fascinating subject and I was so thoroughly engrossed in the old tome that I was unaware of someone sitting down beside me.

"I always found that the young people never truly appreciated the legends of the Six like they used to. It's refreshing to see a child so engrossed in their tales." I startled at the sound of the stranger's voice, looking away from the book to my left.

Sitting on the left end of the couch was a man somewhere in his late thirties, wearing a casual suit as he smiled gently at me. His hair was a golden shade of blonde, with kind green eyes staring down at me. I jolted as I realized that he was waiting for me to respond.

"Oh, um… I like reading just about anything, especially since I hit my head a month ago and can't remember what was taught in school." I explained quietly, looking down at the book that lay in my lap.

"What would your favourite genre of reading be? Mine would probably be crime novels, if I'm being truly honest." the man stated with ease, leaning an elbow against the arm of the couch.

"Probably history and the Cosmogony. Since they're both interesting and important, of course." I offered, looking up with a small smile, "The legend of the rejected king is one of my favourites."

"Well, that's refreshing to hear. Not many learn about that one after preschool... " the man mused, trailing off as he caught sight of a woman lingering in the doorway.

"Ah, Myung-Hee, come here. I'd like you to meet someone, sweetheart." the man called out to the woman, who smiled lightly as she approached the two of us. The small woman was dressed in a pretty blouse and a loose skirt, her dark hair piled up on her head to reveal her brown eyes, features attributed to Goryean heritage. The woman took a seat across from us in one of the armchairs that littered the room, smiling lightly at the man beside me.

"This is my wife, Han Myung-Hee. I'm Aetius Farron, forgot to introduce myself earlier." the man introduced with a chuckle, shaking his head at his forgetfulness.

"Soo-Min." I offered, bowing my head lightly in return. Myung-Hee laughed lightly, looking between her husband and me.

"So, Soo-Min-ssi, has my husband been talking your ear off about books? He'll chat about his obsession with anyone he can." the woman asked with a laugh, a slight accent staining her words, but understandable nonetheless.

"Actually, it's nice to talk about books for once. None of the other children want to hear about the Six or old legends, they just want to play all the time. So I'm often alone and reading." I replied with a sad smile, looking down at the Cosmogony resting in my lap.

"Sometimes being alone with a book is the best thing in the world." came Aetius' response, the man trying to be helpful in some way as he patted my head with a heavy hand. I looked up again, forcing a warmer smile onto my face.

"So, what do you do for work?" I asked out of honest curiosity, as the couple had been the first adults to have an extended conversation with me when looking to adopt. And considering I actually liked them, I might as well put in some effort.

"We both work up at the Citadel, actually. Myung-Hee is one of the Prince's caretakers and I work in the Crownsguard." the blonde-haired man replied, looking at me carefully as he answered my question. I nodded lightly, my shoulder-length black hair swaying around me.

"I've only seen pictures of it in my history books on the Lucian Royal family and the kingdom itself, but it looks so amazing. And the fact that it's ages old makes it even more awesome, in my opinion. It's so cool that you get to work there." I gushed, my love for old buildings flooding my tone with admiration. Myung-Hee chuckled at my enthusiasm, smiling fondly at me.

"Yes, it's quite the honour to be working in such grandeur. Though I must admit the magic tends to wear off when you're trying to wrangle the Prince into his bath or attempting to get him to eat vegetables occasionally." the woman said, laughter apparent in her tone as she spoke fondly of the Prince.

"Between you and me, my wife has the fun job out of the two of us." Aetius mock whispered from behind his hand, driving me into a small fit of giggles.

"I'm sure brandishing a sword and beating up other members of the guard are just as fun, dear." Myung-Hee countered with a wide smile, brushing invisible dust from her skirt as she and her husband stood from their seats.

"It's been a pleasure, Soo-Min. But my husband and I have to speak to Miss Renata and Mr Faustus, enjoy the rest of your day." the woman said, Aetius ruffling my hair before standing and guiding his wife out of the living room in search of the two caretakers.

After the sounds of their steps had faded, I set my book on the couch beside me and followed in their wake. Tailing the couple to the dining room, I lingered just outside the doorway as they spoke with Miss Renata and Mr Faustus.

"Are you sure you wish to adopt her? The poor child has been a handful ever since she hit her head and awoke with no memory of anything. She is trying to relearn eight years of information and we need to be sure that you aware of this added commitment." Mr Faustus cautioned the couple, his voice stern.

"We're quite capable of handling her, Mr Faustus. She'll have the best education available and we'll treat her as if we were her parents from birth." Aetius assured the elder man, taking on a professional tone that he hadn't use with me.

"My husband and I are aware of how special of a girl Soo-Min is, the conversation we shared in the living room is proof enough. We believe that we can give her what she needs to succeed. We're positive we want to adopt her." Myung-Hee said, unfaltering in her words as she spoke to the older couple. I smiled brightly at the thought of the nice couple adopting me, excited and hopeful that my caretakers wouldn't deny this opportunity.

With a heavy sigh, Miss Renata finally spoke after a moment of silence.

"Very well, once Soo-Min has agreed to the adoption, we'll sign the paperwork. We must put her feelings and opinions into consideration as well, Faustus."
The man grunted lightly in response, "Very well then, I'll go fetch the kid."

Before he could stand for his seat, I stepped into the room, much to the surprise of the adults.

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping but I couldn't help it. I wanted to know if Aetius and Myung-Hee were planning to adopt me." I apologized, bowing my head slightly as I spoke.

"It's alright, child. But do you agree to your adoption? It's a lot to process for most children, let alone one in your situation." Mis Renata questioned, her gray gaze sweeping over me in concern.

"Yes, ma'am. Nothing would make me happier than to go home with them." I spoke calmly with a smile on my face, praying to the Six that Miss Renata wouldn't find a reason to doubt my sincerity.

"Very well then. Go collect your things then, we have paperwork to sign." the old woman sighed, standing from her chair to retrieve my file from the office. Myung-Hee and Aetius smiled happily at me before I disappeared out of the dining room and up the stairs to my room to collect my things.