Ok, a very short chapter two, but the story can really start to take place after this-lots of lovely Axel in the next chappie :p
A big Thank you to Saru813 for her lovely comment ^_^ reviews bring a smile to my face. *Throws Christmas chocolate* Anyhoo, enjoy!
Chapter Two – A Ray of Hope Can Heal the Heartbreak
Even the smell of freshly prepared food cooking on a roaring fire couldn't bring the slightest comfort to the grieving mother. The fisherman tried his best to comfort his wife whilst trying to be strong himself, but to no avail. They were broken hearted, and his wife constantly blamed herself for what had happened, and nothing her husband said could lift the guilt from her shoulders. The weather still hadn't improved, as was the norm when living on the coast during winter, but the howling wind and rain only reminded the fisherman's wife of the last precious few hours that she had with her baby girl. She then thought back to that face that she had thought she saw at the window. Perhaps a spirit had taken her daughter away? Perhaps that is why she had been so calm during the storm, and so transfixed when looking out of the window, and also why her daughter had always been drawn to water? Perhaps mischievous spirits had taken her away with them back to their supernatural realm? Legends of old did say that they were attracted to fair haired children, perhaps because their golden hair represents the natural sunlight which they could never live under, due to being creatures of darkness. She began to shakily explain this to her husband, when suddenly she heard a faint cry in the distance. The woman sat, momentarily stunned. She heard it again, carried in on the wind. She clutched on to her husbands arm almost fiercely. "Do you hear that?" She exclaimed. The fisherman listened, but could only hear the usual sounds of a storm. Suddenly, the wind howled more fiercely then before, the cry becoming louder. "I-it just might be her! Perhaps the spirits didn't take her after all! Or perhaps she somehow escaped! Oh come dear husband, we must make haste!" The woman cried, clutching his arm and making her way to the door, her free hand still clutching her child's bracelet. The fisherman was quite startled to hear this strange story; Spirits from another realm? He feared that his wife was going mad with grief, but as the wind whipped round the house again, he too heard it; a strange, mournful cry, almost like a lost child. If this was the work of spirits, then surely they were merely mocking them, taunting them for their misfortunes with false hope. Still, he saw a desperate hopeful light in his wife's eyes; a light which had gone out since the incident. So, with a heavy sigh and pessimistic thoughts he allowed his wife to lead him – rather forcefully – outside.
They ran towards the fretful cry, rain pelting almost painfully across their faces as they did so. With every length they ran the sound cried on, yet they never seemed to get any closer. Still, the woman would push her husband on, something in her heart telling her that there really was someone out there who needed her. "My love, I do not think that –"the fisherman began to say, when suddenly he saw a flash of gold in the light of a sudden lightning strike, which streaked across the sky aggressively. His heart missed a beat. Surely it couldn't be? The winds died down slightly, and the rain slowed slightly. The fisherman and his wife picked up their pace, hoping beyond all hope that their little girl was alive and well. The mournful voice had led them to a beach which resided close to their home. Sure enough there was a fair haired child standing just in the very edge of the water. However, the child wasn't their daughter. It was a little boy, about three years old. His hair was short and spiky, standing up in all directions, with a cowlick at his forehead. Like their daughters', his eyes were bright blue, as if part of the ocean itself resided in them. But these beautiful pools of blue were drowning in tears. He was crying, and shivering from the cold, or perhaps fear, the couple weren't sure. It was then that the wind and the rain died down significantly, although the waves of the ocean continued to churn. The couple felt their hearts melt.
Looking around they could see no-one else, but the boy kept looking at the waves behind him, almost as if they were about to reach out and drag him into their dark depths. The fisherman's wife looked down at her daughter's bracelet and sighed. The waters had taken away her child, but provided a new one in return. Perhaps it wasn't the work of spirits that had torn her baby away from her, but fate. Perhaps this child had lost his family in the sea due to the storm. They all needed each other. The couple glanced at each other briefly, before a soft sad smile came to the woman's lips. She didn't need verbal permission from her husband to know that he had already decided the same thing as his wife.
They both already felt a parental love for the boy. His soft, sorrowful yet beautiful eyes pleaded for help; for comfort; for love. The woman took the blanket from around her shoulders and wrapped it around the boy, slipping the shell bracelet around his wrist. She knew he could never replace her baby, but from now on she knew that the bracelet would represent new beginnings, and how fortunate she was to have another chance at raising a child, and having a special little one to love. The little boy's soft sobs softened as he nuzzled into his new mother, finally having some warmth and comfort after hours of wandering in the cold.
Years went by, and the boy grew up in a content, simple lifestyle. His name was Roxas, which was the only thing he had said to them on the day that they had found him. His new father had taught him everything he knew about fishing. How to weave good, strong, nets for a decent catch. How to handle the boat and make any repairs that may be necessary whilst out on a fishing trip, and also about which fish would bring them a decent wage, and which were better to throw back.
Although he was an obedient and respectful child, eager to learn new things, his parents found that Roxas always seemed to be emotionally distant. The only time they had seen his express any strong emotion was on the day that they had found him. Sometimes he would smile slightly when praised or spoken to with kind words; or chuckle meekly if his father ever made a joke. And they only knew that he was sad when they noticed his eyes glossier then usual, but other then that Roxas remained mysteriously distant, making it hard for his parents to know what he was thinking. His eyes always appeared empty and lifeless, as if his very soul had been extinguished. At first this had worried his parents. Surely a child should be able to laugh and play, but Roxas was never very enthusiastic about anything, other then his work. When he wasn't working with his father, he was inside the house, or on nice days outside under the trees studying the lesson books that his mother has written for him.
Even on the odd occasion when people would come by to purchase the fish his father had caught or any spare nets that they had made, he seemed disinterested by the children his age who ran around and played while their fathers settled on a deal. Even when they invited him to join in their games, he never showed any interest in doing so.
Whenever they were on the beach he would stare sadly out to sea. More often then not, his mother had caught him sighing softly and fiddling with the shell bracelet, almost as though he wasn't sure whether it was right for him to wear it. The fisherman would laugh at his wife and say that boys his age didn't usually take to wearing bracelets, but when they told him he didn't have to wear it, he'd shake his head and put it on regardless; yet he always stared sadly at it. On the days when he seemed even more distant the usual, his parents would voice their concern, only to be replied with a dismissive shake of the head and the sweetest smile he could muster to ease their concerns.
Still, despite everything, they loved their son dearly. They never forgot how truly lucky they were to have a second chance at being parents. However, they would soon discover that their life with Roxas was about to become very complicated.