"Ah-ah, Eh-eh!" Achlys exclaimed as the spider woman entered the cathedral.
"Hello to you as well, little bug," Elise said with a smile before adopting a more bitter tone for Karthus, "I am due to depart for Noxus tonight. I hope what you have summoned me for is important."
"It is," Karthus answered, "it concerns Achlys. Yesterday the wraiths that guard her while she sleeps came screeching to me. I rushed to her, but instead of finding her in danger, there she was, standing in her boat."
Karthus crouched down and picked up Achlys from where she was playing on the floor.
"Are you ready to show Elise what you can do?"
"Yea," Achlys responded with a drooling smile.
Karthus held her upright as she steadied her legs and stretched her arms out towards a nearby pew. He let go and, though wobbly, Achlys stood. She giggled with a gummy smile.
"That's wonderful, little bug," Elise said as she crouched down to the child's level, "you'll be walking before you know it. If I could take you with me, I would make you the terror of the Noxian courts. We would start with the well-guarded secret of how to run in heels."
"Ah," Karthus said with an approving tone, "you realize why I called you here."
"What? Teaching her to run in heels? That was a joke, Karthus. Noxian girls don't learn that secret until they are ten years of age."
Karthus gave her a stern look.
"How to walk, Elise," he said, "help me teach her how to walk."
"Walking should come naturally."
"I imagine that it does, but I cannot even demonstrate how to walk."
Elise cocked an eyebrow.
"Elaborate," she demanded, "or I will be forced to believe that you are the Isle's laziest being."
"Elise, I cannot remember the last time that I have walked. Look, because of it, my legs have shriveled."
The lich pulled back his robe and, with a wave of his hand, removed his shoe, revealing what had once been a foot. The desiccated skin was the same pale grey as the rest of him, but somehow appeared even more aged. The toes, skeletal thin, curled in on themselves so that they resembled more a single claw than a foot.
"Karthus," Elise cut in without any attempt to hide the disgust in her voice, "if you never show me that again, or anything else under your robes, I will agree to teach her to walk."
"I am glad you agree," Karthus said, "did you hear that Achlys? Elise is going to teach you how to walk."
"Ah-ah Eh-eh?" Achlys babbled as she looked between her two guardians.
"Yes, little bug," Elise cooed as she scooped up the baby, "Auntie Elise will teach you."
"You still insist on having her call you that?"
"You lost your privilege to chastise me on such things. The rumor going around is that you have been trying to teach her to call you 'Father'."
"Fa!" Achlys exclaimed as if to confirm the rumors.
"I rest my case," Elise said with a smile and turned her attention back to Achlys.
She cradled her against her body and, with her back spindles, began to stroke Achly's tiny feet.
"These are your feet," she said, "you use them for walking."
"Eet?"
"Feet. Say 'fa' first."
"Fa-eet."
"That's better. And these are your toes," she bounced the tip of her spindle over each digit as she talked, "Karthus doesn't have any left, but you still have all ten of your toes."
"Eet."
"Toes," Elise gave a small sigh, "Noxus wasn't built in a day. We will practice your words later but right now, I need you to stand like you were earlier. Stand on your feet."
"Yea."
Elise lowered Achlys towards the ground and, as before, waited until the baby had her legs below her. She kept holding Achly's hands so that she could maintain her balance and wrapped two of her spindles before her for additional stability. Then Elise lowered herself onto her heels.
"Oh," she sighed, "I haven't had to walk like this in quite some time. Ah, there's an unfamiliar stretch."
With the long red tips of her feet laying against the ground, Elise looked as though she had broken her ankles. If she felt any discomfort though, she did not show it. Instead, she guided Achlys to stand on top of her feet. She then began to take slow, small steps.
"There, now you're walking," she encouraged, "One step at a time. Stay on my feet."
"Eet! Eet! Eet! Fa-eet!" Achlys chanted as they moved.
Elise continued this for a minute, walking in small circle, until she helped Achlys to sit before Kathus.
"She won't learn to walk in a day," Elise said, "you will need to practice with her like that every day. I know your feet are repulsive, but you can still levitate behind her and hold her hands for balance. You can have her practice walking along with the pews. Even crawling will be good for her, and if you ever need more help, you can always ask Hecarim. I have the tide to catch."
"But Hecarim has four feet. I-"
"And I have eight," Elise cut in before he could continue. She flexed her spindles outwards and pulled herself back up to the tips of her toes. "She will learn, Karthus. Give her encouragement."
"I already was."
"Then I shouldn't have to tell you anything else," she waved to the baby, "good bye, little bug. I will see you next month."
"Buh," Achlys said while mimicking the waving motion.
When Elise had left, Karthus scooped up the child.
"We have much practicing to do. When she returns, you will exceed all her expectations. You are my daughter, and I know you will accomplish great things."
"Yea fa!"