Harry Potter and the Sanctuary of Light
Chapter 9 Mirie
"Corin, will you turn into Quist and play dolls with me?" Ailin asked in a sweet, pouty voice.
Corin groaned inwardly, than gave the young elf a strained smile. "Ailin, are you sure you want to play dolls? How about we go for a walk instead?"
She considered that, "Well, alright. Could you take me to the forest? Last time we were there, it started raining, so we had to run back."
He smiled and tried not to let his relief show. "Yes, that sounds good. Let's go ask your mother and see if anyone else wants to go." Serie gave her permission, but the rest of the siblings declined, so he and Ailin headed out on their own.
It was almost two months since his becoming an elf and becoming essentially betrothed to Laurea. He had learned an incredible amount of weapons training and elvish magic since his transformation. He could now do the equivalent of seventh year spells in elvish and had also had 'Rea teach him some simple to moderate healing spells.
As they walked, or skipped in Ailin's case, he occasionally waved greetings to neighbors they passed. Ailin wore a pale yellow flowing dress and he a dark blue tunic with silver embroidery around the cuffs and collar as well as black leggings and boots. His dark hair was held back in its usual braids, the dark-silver streaks glinting in the sun. Ailin had hers hanging free, swinging about her waist with little silver butterflies clipping it free of her face.
They reached the edge of the city and entered the cool forest. Sunlight filtered through the branches above and patches of sunlight lay here and there on the ground. Ailin hummed softly some children's song as she went about looking at flowers and peeking in bushes hoping to see an animal or two.
Corin trailed behind her watching for signs of dangerous creatures, though the chances were unlikely living so near an elven city. Evil creatures tended to avoid contact with elves since elves could sense the evil in them and drive them out or kill them if need be. He was examining the trail of a herd of unicorns when Ailin called out.
"Corin, Corin! Come here! Hurry, its hurt!" She crouched about fifteen feet away, looking at something on the ground. He hurried over and crouched next to her. On the floor of the forest lay a small feathery golden ball, about the size of a ping-pong ball, with small metallic looking wings and jewel-like ruby eyes.
"Merlin, it's a snidget!" He looked closely at the small thing and noticed one of its wings was a bit mangled and some blood could be seen on its round body. Carefully, so as not to startle or hurt it, he touched a finger to it right over its eyes and chanted a healing spell. His finger tingled and he watched as the small creature, which had been having trouble breathing just a moment before lifted it's head and gave a small cheep.
He smiled as Ailin oohed and awed over the little creature. "Well little one," he addressed the snidget, "are you ready to fly again?" He carefully shifted the soft golden snidget into his hands and lifted it to eye level. It cocked its small head at him as it perched on his outstretched finger and Ailin giggled.
"Well, go on." He lifted his finger up, trying to get it to fly off to its home. It gave another small cheep and then lifted into the air. Only, it didn't go anywhere. Instead it flew up to his face and nuzzled his cheek. All of a sudden, he was sent a feeling of happiness and belonging and friendship as well as a picture of himself with a snidget on his shoulder walking towards home.
"You want to stay with me??" It gave another soft cheep, then hummed and sent him a feeling of contentment. "Very well." He turned to Ailin and grinned sheepishly, "I guess I've acquired a pet." Ailin of course was ecstatic. "What shall we name him?"
Ailin thought for a moment. "What about Fluffy?" His lips quirked as he remembered Hagrid's three-headed dog.
"Mmmm, nah. Doesn't sound right." He thought for a moment more. "How about Miri? Short for the name Mirie meaning Jewel."
"Awww! That's perfect!" Miri gave another happy hum, and they stood.
"Do you want to keep exploring or head back?"
"Let's go home, I want mummy to see Miri!" Ailin was bouncing in excitement. Miri, happy she had gotten her point across had flown up and perched on Corin's shoulder, then proceeded in preening her feathers. As they walked back, he reached up and scratched the little snidget behind her unseen neck and she hummed.
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Corin and Ailin walked in the house, taking off their shoes as they went. Miri looked around curiously, but kept her perch on Corin's shoulder.
"You two are home early," Serie's voice could be heard from the kitchen. "I would have expected to not see you for at least a couple more hours."
They walked into the kitchen and saw Serie seated at the table sipping tea and waiting for whatever was in the oven to cook. The kitchen was like the rest of the house, light and open. It had many plants growing in the windows, and was almost sparkling it was so clean.
"We were going to stay longer Mummy, but we found Miri!" Ailin was almost bouncing in excitement and her mother gave an amused smile.
"And who is Miri if I may ask?" Corin reached a finger up to his shoulder and Miri hopped onto it. He held the little snidget out for Serie to see.
"We found her wounded about fifty yards in. I healed her and she decided she didn't want to leave, so we brought her home." Miri cheeped and preened when she sensed she was being observed. Serie was amazed at his luck in befriending a snidget who were very shy creatures, and with a slender finger caressed its small golden head. Miri only hummed and continued running her feathers through her long thin beak, cleaning and oiling them.
Corin smiled at Miri's behavior, then asked his small friend, "So little one, are you hungry?" Miri glanced up and then sent an image of her drinking out of a grape. "Serie, do you have any grapes?" She grabbed a couple from the ice box, and set them on the table. Miri took off from his shoulder and hovered over the fruit as she inserted her tiny beak into one of the grapes. She seemed to suck the liquid out until it was just a mass of wrinkled skin and pulp. When she'd finished with two grapes, the little snidget flew to the high collar of Corin's tunic and tucked herself inside next to his neck. She then proceeded to scrunch her head down inside her feathers until you could barely see it, wrapped her wings around herself and closed her eyes to sleep.
Corin chuckled softly at the antics of his little friend, and then suggested to Ailin that they go out to the gardens for the rest of their walk.
Chapter 9 Mirie
"Corin, will you turn into Quist and play dolls with me?" Ailin asked in a sweet, pouty voice.
Corin groaned inwardly, than gave the young elf a strained smile. "Ailin, are you sure you want to play dolls? How about we go for a walk instead?"
She considered that, "Well, alright. Could you take me to the forest? Last time we were there, it started raining, so we had to run back."
He smiled and tried not to let his relief show. "Yes, that sounds good. Let's go ask your mother and see if anyone else wants to go." Serie gave her permission, but the rest of the siblings declined, so he and Ailin headed out on their own.
It was almost two months since his becoming an elf and becoming essentially betrothed to Laurea. He had learned an incredible amount of weapons training and elvish magic since his transformation. He could now do the equivalent of seventh year spells in elvish and had also had 'Rea teach him some simple to moderate healing spells.
As they walked, or skipped in Ailin's case, he occasionally waved greetings to neighbors they passed. Ailin wore a pale yellow flowing dress and he a dark blue tunic with silver embroidery around the cuffs and collar as well as black leggings and boots. His dark hair was held back in its usual braids, the dark-silver streaks glinting in the sun. Ailin had hers hanging free, swinging about her waist with little silver butterflies clipping it free of her face.
They reached the edge of the city and entered the cool forest. Sunlight filtered through the branches above and patches of sunlight lay here and there on the ground. Ailin hummed softly some children's song as she went about looking at flowers and peeking in bushes hoping to see an animal or two.
Corin trailed behind her watching for signs of dangerous creatures, though the chances were unlikely living so near an elven city. Evil creatures tended to avoid contact with elves since elves could sense the evil in them and drive them out or kill them if need be. He was examining the trail of a herd of unicorns when Ailin called out.
"Corin, Corin! Come here! Hurry, its hurt!" She crouched about fifteen feet away, looking at something on the ground. He hurried over and crouched next to her. On the floor of the forest lay a small feathery golden ball, about the size of a ping-pong ball, with small metallic looking wings and jewel-like ruby eyes.
"Merlin, it's a snidget!" He looked closely at the small thing and noticed one of its wings was a bit mangled and some blood could be seen on its round body. Carefully, so as not to startle or hurt it, he touched a finger to it right over its eyes and chanted a healing spell. His finger tingled and he watched as the small creature, which had been having trouble breathing just a moment before lifted it's head and gave a small cheep.
He smiled as Ailin oohed and awed over the little creature. "Well little one," he addressed the snidget, "are you ready to fly again?" He carefully shifted the soft golden snidget into his hands and lifted it to eye level. It cocked its small head at him as it perched on his outstretched finger and Ailin giggled.
"Well, go on." He lifted his finger up, trying to get it to fly off to its home. It gave another small cheep and then lifted into the air. Only, it didn't go anywhere. Instead it flew up to his face and nuzzled his cheek. All of a sudden, he was sent a feeling of happiness and belonging and friendship as well as a picture of himself with a snidget on his shoulder walking towards home.
"You want to stay with me??" It gave another soft cheep, then hummed and sent him a feeling of contentment. "Very well." He turned to Ailin and grinned sheepishly, "I guess I've acquired a pet." Ailin of course was ecstatic. "What shall we name him?"
Ailin thought for a moment. "What about Fluffy?" His lips quirked as he remembered Hagrid's three-headed dog.
"Mmmm, nah. Doesn't sound right." He thought for a moment more. "How about Miri? Short for the name Mirie meaning Jewel."
"Awww! That's perfect!" Miri gave another happy hum, and they stood.
"Do you want to keep exploring or head back?"
"Let's go home, I want mummy to see Miri!" Ailin was bouncing in excitement. Miri, happy she had gotten her point across had flown up and perched on Corin's shoulder, then proceeded in preening her feathers. As they walked back, he reached up and scratched the little snidget behind her unseen neck and she hummed.
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Corin and Ailin walked in the house, taking off their shoes as they went. Miri looked around curiously, but kept her perch on Corin's shoulder.
"You two are home early," Serie's voice could be heard from the kitchen. "I would have expected to not see you for at least a couple more hours."
They walked into the kitchen and saw Serie seated at the table sipping tea and waiting for whatever was in the oven to cook. The kitchen was like the rest of the house, light and open. It had many plants growing in the windows, and was almost sparkling it was so clean.
"We were going to stay longer Mummy, but we found Miri!" Ailin was almost bouncing in excitement and her mother gave an amused smile.
"And who is Miri if I may ask?" Corin reached a finger up to his shoulder and Miri hopped onto it. He held the little snidget out for Serie to see.
"We found her wounded about fifty yards in. I healed her and she decided she didn't want to leave, so we brought her home." Miri cheeped and preened when she sensed she was being observed. Serie was amazed at his luck in befriending a snidget who were very shy creatures, and with a slender finger caressed its small golden head. Miri only hummed and continued running her feathers through her long thin beak, cleaning and oiling them.
Corin smiled at Miri's behavior, then asked his small friend, "So little one, are you hungry?" Miri glanced up and then sent an image of her drinking out of a grape. "Serie, do you have any grapes?" She grabbed a couple from the ice box, and set them on the table. Miri took off from his shoulder and hovered over the fruit as she inserted her tiny beak into one of the grapes. She seemed to suck the liquid out until it was just a mass of wrinkled skin and pulp. When she'd finished with two grapes, the little snidget flew to the high collar of Corin's tunic and tucked herself inside next to his neck. She then proceeded to scrunch her head down inside her feathers until you could barely see it, wrapped her wings around herself and closed her eyes to sleep.
Corin chuckled softly at the antics of his little friend, and then suggested to Ailin that they go out to the gardens for the rest of their walk.
