Kary's sixth birthday

Birthday gift for Kelseyalicia

by Yurix

He wrote this last year for my birthday. He said I could add it to my stories for him about his world.

Morning rose on the roads leading from Ravenhold to Warmcreek as Rauz's wagon trotted along. The alchemist who kept the horses at walking speed stretched and yawned, trying to avoid waking Karyana.

While Medierth used calendars sparingly - counting the days of the lunar cycle and giving names to seasons -, Rauz knew of one crucial date. The nineteenth day of Comingfrost. The day of his former master's death. The day when he found Karyana as a baby.

As he approached the farming community, he rose to his lips another bottle of a blackish liquid he had spent the last few minutes warming with one hand - his touch infused with fiery mana -the bitter drink keeping him awake enough to focus on the road. When he put the emptied bottle down, he noticed the wagon's wheel hit a rock, causing the bottle to fall and smash against the irregular pavement.

"Mmm... morning already?" Karyana's voice moaned from the back of the wagon, a lumpy stack of hay, rugs, and bedsheets serving as a makeshift bed.

Rauz sighed so much for the element of surprise. He had told her they would travel for supplies but kept a secret that they were returning to Warmcreek for that. Usually, the travel distance would not have been so long, but he had to slow the pace to make it feel longer... and to avoid complications while traveling at night.

"Sorry. I hope you slept okay," he said as he paced the horses to a quicker march. "We're almost there."

Karyana yawned and crawled over to Rauz, peaking over his shoulder. The moment she recognized the area, her eyes lit up like stars. "We're home!"

"Didn't think I would forget your birthday, now would I?" he smiled, his eyes still heavy from the lack of sleep. "I figured the best thing to give you would be some time with your family."

The young girl reached for the sitting man's shoulder, leaning in to nuzzle him. "Thank you!"

Rauz helped Karyana onto the driver's seat and flicked the reins to speed up the horses. "How about we don't keep your parents waiting?"

To Karyana, the return home felt like almost every other week. While Rauz tried his hardest to spend time away from his tower to teach the children of Warmcreek about magic, alchemy, and Medierth's history, it was always a tightrope between keeping up with his studies, making money to survive and giving time for Karyana. While it was confirmed that she was keeping up with her studies and had even begun helping him with his tasks, he did regret taking her away from her family, even for a few days.

After the Mage's Festival incident, Rauz promised to teach her what he knew to keep anyone attempting to take her life at bay. Yet teaching someone so young, even if she seemed to have an innate ability, had caused some issues. Unfortunately, the meeting with Volkram led to several visits from other mages of the Order to ensure that everything was up to standards... even if their demands felt excessive.

While he had planned to visit Warmcreek to stock up on food and medicinal components and sell potions and objects he made or picked up from other customers or merchants that traveled to his tower, letting Karyana have an everyday life for a whole week would help both relax and enjoy some time for themselves.

Rauz helped the girl off the wagon when it stopped outside the Destine household. He barely had time to tell her that he would be at the square to unpack his wares that the young girl pulled on his sleeve with a determined look. Given the girl's stubbornness when she wanted something, he knew he could do nothing except walk with her to the door where Ailyn and Eredric were already waiting.

"Happy birthday!" both Ailyn and Eredric cheerily let out as the former placed a wreath of flowers on her daughter's head, placing a stack of sweet buns on the table.

Watching Kary beaming with joy as her favorite sweets were within arm's reach, each one lit with a thin wick to serve as candles, made Rauz sigh with a content face. The table was already lined with more food than the four could manage for a whole meal: salted pork strips, scrambled eggs, bread, bone broth, apples...

Yet the moment Kary finished blowing the makeshift candles, she looked back at her plate and thought. "Dad, can I bring some friends over to eat?"

"Might be a bit early for that, sweetie," Ailyn replied as she passed the eggs to Rauz after serving the girl. "Maybe we could make a bigger celebration tonight?"

"Sounds like an idea," Eredric replied as he stabbed a few slices of pork, dunked them in his cup of broth, and quickly stuffed them in his mouth. "Might need to..."

"Dear, don't talk with your mouth full," Ailyn replied, pointing her wooden spoon at him. "I don't know if we would have enough food for everyone. But, I do hope you can pitch in, Mister Rauz." Eredric looked back at Rauz, his expression making it clear that he meant to say that.

"Speaking of celebration, I hope this will fit," Rauz said as he placed a lengthy box on Karyana's lap, the object wrapped in a thick ribbon.

Pulling the fabric away, Karyana - with help from her mother - opened the box to reveal a light-blue dress with a pleated skirt and lacey white hems. "For me?" the girl said as she pulled it out and examined it briefly before hugging it as if she were holding a stuffed toy or a doll. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Cost me a bundle to get this, but you deserve it," Rauz replied, watching Karyana just about ready to jump off her seat and run to her room to try it on.

"Easy there!" Eredric eased her back onto her chair. "You'll be able to put it on after breakfast is over. Wouldn't want you to run off without those sweet rolls, right?"

Karyana skipped happily along, a basket of sweet rolls in hand, her new dress swishing lightly at each hop and skip a bright smile on her face. While she had decided not to wear the flower crown for long, she had put her mithril pin in her hair, tying it with a thin leather strap.

Not long before she noticed the other boys playing with toy swords, while it was a surprise that Alban had decided to join in, as she remembered that he was more into mushroom-picking or making dried flower arrangements, she was less than surprised to see Onyx do the same, the pair dueling with blunt wooden versions of actual short swords.

"Hey! You're not supposed to throw your sword!" Alban scolded the older Onyx, the latter visibly irritated.

"Well, you weren't supposed to sneak into Dad's chest!" the dwarf fumed. "Give me back what you took!"

Karyana walked over to the pair, unsure what was happening, but decided not to ask. "Heya!"

"Well, if it isn't the beast tamer herself," Alban said, putting his wooden sword down. "Back again? Seen anything mad and hairy lately?"

Onyx rolled his eyes, not taking the bait. Then, taking a moment to calm himself, he looked at the girl and her basket. "Did your mom make these?"

"Uh-huh!" Karyana nodded. "It's for my birthday! And we'll have a party tonight! Wanna come?"

"Did someone talk about a party?" another voice replied before Arius appeared between Karyana and Alban. The elvish boy swung a small pouch in one hand as he wrapped the other around Alban's neck. "Always ready for a bit of fun!"

Alban was almost to comment on Arius' sudden arrival when Onyx examined the pouch. "Hey! What do you have in there?"

The moment Arius locked eyes with the dwarf, he knew that he had to skedaddle. "Sorry, gotta go! Dad's calling!" he hastily said as he quickly snagged one of Karyana's rolls and dashed off, leaving the pouch in the basket.

Onyx let out a frustrated sigh as he grabbed the pouch and looked into it. "One of these days, that pointy-eared filch get what's coming..." he groaned before revealing a tiny silver dragon effigy. "Hmm..." Looking back at Karyana, he delicately placed the object in the basket before grabbing two rolls and handing one to Alban. "Sorry for the fuss, Alban... and happy birthday, Kary."

The best part of the day for Karyana was climbing up to the apple tree on top of the lone hill and enjoying an apple or two as the wind made the tall grass dance. The taste of fresh, sun-touched apples before the cold season arrived was always the most comforting thing, next to spending time with her parents. With Alban following to ensure she did not hurt herself and get the best apples without breaking branches, she relaxed against the trees, the tiny dragon statuette in her hand.

While she could still feel the rough bark against her back and the grass beneath her hands, her sleepy mind was elsewhere. Flying over clouds, humming an unusual tune as birds flew by, dancing in the stars... Such wondrous dreams always led to the castle in the glass-like dome. To the room of her dream friend. To Demyan, who she still teased every time.

"Heya Medy!" she waved as she walked into the room, though to the boy, it seemed she had materialized through the door. "Happy birthday!"

The boy was about to snap back, but after so many visits, this was becoming commonplace. What did surprise him was that she had appeared before him with a basket of sweets, a flower crown on her head, and a new dress. "Happy... wait, you knew it was my birthday?"

"It's my birthday, silly!" she teased before handing him the basket with the sweet rolls. "But... it's yours too?"

"Mine's tomorrow." the boy said as he got up from his chair and dusted himself with his free hand before grabbing the basket. "But, um... that looks nice on you."

Karyana looked around before getting up on the boy's bed, a familiar purring sound coming from a bundled ball of fluff, its wings resting flat. "Chime!"

The moment the creature's name was spoken, the sleepy creature's ear perked up as it stretched and yawned. Then, opening its eyes, it barely had time to react before Karyana lifted it and held it close.

Demyan waited for the pair to stop playing around before walking to the bed and pulling something from under the pillows. "I was going to keep it for tomorrow, but I thought we could share."

The boy opened a tiny box and revealed an assortment of cookies. "Happy birthday." he smiled sweetly before handing the packet to Karyana. "I bet your family will love' em."

Karyana let go of Chime and hurried over to Demyan before picking up a heart-shaped, double-glazed wafer and leaning against him. "Demy?"

"Yeah?" the boy replied, surprised at how close she was.

"Will you be there for my party?" she asked sheepishly.

"I wish I could, but I promise that one day, we'll have a big party here. With everyone!" he replied as he grabbed another heart-shaped cookie and touched both together. "Cookie swear?"

"...Yeah!" Karyana let out as cookie and wafer tapped against one another before both children munched down on their snacks. "Cookie swear!"

Asuna watched from the pond in the Celestial Garden as Karyana, her parents, and friends celebrated around the Destines' house. While she did not know who the other children were, she kept watch with curiosity.

A trio of rowdy boys was playing with her, bouncing a woven ball of wicks and twine as they moved in a circle, each trying to force the other to drop the ball. An unusual little creature flutters around the circle, using its head or tail to bounce or spike the ball. Adults of different ages and races talk around the tables, sharing drinks or food. Both men and women helping with plates and bowls, serving stew, bread, roasted fish or meat cutlets, cheese and cider being passed around...

"Do you miss being around mortals?" Progeny spoke as he walked into the room, startling Asuna.

Asuna's pale face reddened slightly in embarrassment. "My Lord... I... um... I was... making sure nothing was trying to"

Progeny raised a finger to his lips and shushed. "I did state that no Planars could directly interfere with a Chosen's life. Watching from afar is not interfering."

Asuna let out a sigh of relief. "Then... why are you here?"

Progeny waved a hand, momentarily causing the image to pivot skyward, showing a shooting star flashing in the night sky. "Neither are indirect actions. Some day, this little star will become something great."

Asuna gazed at the young Planar with a befuddled expression. "But she was a star... why send another?"

Progeny smiled as he lay down at the pond's edge, feet kicking up, head held in his hands, a childish grin on his face.