As the years rolled by, Garrett and Erin grew into themselves.
Gone were the gangling limbs and knobby joints of starvation, the vile sludge beneath their nails and grime on their knees.
Artemus took care of his children, good care, watched them carefully as they grew, guided them, helped them, whichever way he knew how.
Garrett developed a sleek, lithe build, but a healthy sort of lithe, not the kind of lithe found on young street rats from running away with whatever measly scrap of food they had managed to swipe.
No, Garrett's form came from the countless hours he spent out in the Haven's training fields. Artemus wasn't exactly surprised by the young boy's developing interest in training, after spending so many years on the streets helpless and afraid, it was nearly natural for Garrett to want strength for himself lest he be forced into another unfortunate situation…
However, try as Artemus did, he could not erase all traces of the streets from the boy.
Garrett remained a quiet child, no longer shying from everyone who dared look at him, but never really reaching out to interact with his fellow apprentices either, save for Erin of course.
It was also not only Garrett's voice to remain quiet, but just about everything else about him. On the streets, you learned fast or you died. You used what you had to your advantage, no matter how little.
Garrett's wasn't a strong child, he couldn't use brute force to worm his way out of messes, so he developed sharp street wits and light feet instead which was ideal for him then as years of little food and rest and love had taken their toll, leaving Garrett to reach a rather petite stature.
His forehead remained the perfect height for Artemus to press his cheek to without needing to bend low, the Keeper respected the older boy too much to forgo Garrett's firm request of 'no kisses', and Artemus most certainly did not want to get onto Garrett's bad side.
Things always tended to go missing if you got on Garrett's bad side...
Erin, likewise, grew akin to Garrett, rivaling each and every advance of her not quite brother with her own feminine grace. Developing elegantly supple curves to challenge Garrett's sleek build. Training alongside Garrett to build her own strength, steadying her posture and physique.
The old roots of survival were etched into her veins, while the blossoms of knowledge supplied by the Keeps bloomed in her mind.
Artemus did his best to encourage more… Constructive hobbies onto his children to starve off the inevitable as best he could.
Garrett liked learning about the history of the once thought Eternal City? The Haven was always in need of historians.
Erin mentioned she wanted to try her hand in design? Blueprint paper and pencils at the ready…
Truthfully then, Artemus was… Troubled by the direction his charge's lives seemed to be coursing towards. At every turn and insistence, whenever Artemus attempted to steer Garrett and Erin's attention away from what he feared most; they would rebound dutifully…
The Keeper Enforcement Unit was a prestigious faction within the Haven.
Made of only the strongest minds and able bodies... Many joined the unit by their own terms though a select few were coaxed into the profession.
The Keeper Enforcers were the bloodied hands of the Haven… And Artemus cowered at the thought of Garrett and Erin disappearing beneath those golden masks, never to be seen or spoken to again…
It was both a blessing and a curse to find out what exactly his two children had become so captivated by during their years within the Haven.
Thieving.
Again, if Artemus was honest with himself he could say without a shadow of doubt that he wasn't surprised the two turned to such a… Profession.
They were, after all, never ones to take kindly to the laws of the Haven, and they seldom had eyes for anyone other than themselves or each other.
Artemus watched the two carefully, patiently… He was well past the point of concerning himself with his children's safety, he knew damn well that Garrett and Erin would take care of each other…
The waiting nearly killed him however… The waiting and the watching.
Garrett was older than Erin by six or so years by Artemus' best guess. He graduated from the Haven's basic schooling program at eighteen(?) as most apprentices did, Erin was still buried beneath a few more years and at first, Garrett seemed content to wait for his sister…
At first…
Artemus tried his best to brace himself for the day he awoke to find his children missing, gone with the night. He could tell the two were growing restless within the halls of the Haven.
Despite Erin's schooling and the job Garrett had secured for himself as a Rune Scribe to pass the years… It wasn't enough...
Artemus tried to brace himself… He did…
But…
The evening Garrett and Erin came to his room in the dead of night, not yet a year after Garrett's graduation, silent as ghosts, to press ginger kisses to his cheek and murmur the softest of goodbyes… Before they slunk off into the shadows.
Broke Artemus' heart…
Artemus tried to be strong, stars knew he tried…
Artemus rose the very next morning with tears dried on his cheeks, his throat sore and chest hollow. He ate cooked and breakfast alone… It wasn't exactly uncommon for him to eat alone in the morning, Erin had her dorm and main hall, Garrett had his own flat by then…
But the fact that he knew, he knew, that his was to be the first of many lonely mornings…
Artemus went about his day as best he could, desperately trying to distract himself from the absence his children created…
There would be no silent shadows passing him by with sly eyes and cheeky smiles that spoke of mischief. There would be no arms to wrap around his waist in surprise embraces as he set books back onto the library shelves…
Oh but the gnawing… Worry…
Artemus told himself that they would be fine. He told himself over and over throughout the first few days…
They had each other… They weren't alone. They were survivors. They would be fine...
As the saying went.
You could take an animal from the wild.
But you could not take the wild from the animal.
It was a hollow comfort… But it was the only comfort Artemus found…