Caer Oldwyrm; the Old Wyvern's Keep.
It rests off the beaten path, with the old mountains standing at its back and snowclad woods at its front. That is home, or at least the closest thing Ashe could get to one. Looking at it, staring at the old stone walls, Ashe made a noise." It's been a while since I've been here." She mused pulling herself off Olaf as she stared through the iron gates. "Alan!" She shouted, staring forward through the openings in the iron before catching someone's attention. A man looked back at her, waved and told the others to do just that.
"Ashe." He waited for the iron gates to open. "It's good to see you." He stated, opening his arms for a hug only to stop as he caught sight of the swelling under the woman's mantle. "You putting on weight?"
"Not at all." Ashe Rolled her eyes as her 'swelling' seemed to make a noise and try moving. "I'm just keeping someone out of the cold." Alan watched the swelling continue to move before it locked onto something poking out of her mantle. It looked almost like a mitten made from a Blango's fur.
"Is that-"
"A baby, yes." Ashe stated as the arm retreated inside her mantle as she and her pack stepped on, entering the old keep grounds only to find them empty. "What have I missed?"
"Nothing a few stories around the fire can't fill you in on." Alan stated with a shrug as they stepped inside the Keep. Ashe removed her mantle, exposing a child who couldn't be older than a few weeks wrapped snugly in a blango onesie. "So where'd you find this one?" Alan bent over to take a better look at the infant. "Pretty damn cute if you ask me." The little one's head dropped before snapping upward. They rubbed their eyes for a few seconds before blinking, staring at the stranger in front of them. "Those eyes."
"Beautiful aren't they?" Ashe asked, undoing the straps that were hold her carry-on in place before handing the child to Alan.
"Eh?"
It's a bit warm in here, don't you think?" She asked. "Please get him out of this for me." Ashe stated as she dropped the infant into the Hunter's hands. "I need to get these three to the stables thand then report to the First."
Alan just stared at the infant he was now carrying, before his attention snapped towards Ashe. "This is how you ask for a favor nowadays?"
"When I'm in a rush." Ashe rolled her shoulders, seeming to grunt as she popped a joint before grabbing hold of Olaf's reins. "Thanks." She stated, heading off with her feral companions.
"I'm only doing this because the baby's cute." Alan stated as he watched Ashe leave before again turning towards the infant. "So~ you a boy or a girl?"
The baby started to drool.
Gilham, he held the position of First hunter, the Order Master. He was the oldest of their Order having inherited both his title and position from the one that came before him. He was old, yes, but when he stood he carried himself like a mountain of sorts; unbreakable, unwavering and caring the scars of his history across his body for all to see. Now though, sitting in his chamber and rubbing his boney fingers against his temples, the first Hunter breathed as he glanced towards the fireplace.
He seemed so old, so tired…
"I see." Were the first words he muttered after a while. "A village was lost." He paused. "Regrettable, but not unexpected." He confessed. "The creatures of the world have wandered across the land for just as long as the People have existed on it, and when they wander, there is always a chance they'll enter our villages and cities." He looked at Ashe. "And you say Ashka was destroyed by a myth?"
"That is what the clues told me." Ashe stated, looking at the man sitting by a quiet fire. "The crystal shells of the Iceborne." She paused. "Also, it appears that it froze the opposition who stood in its way." Ashe stated. "There were so many frozen, man and beast alike… now lost to the frost."
"I see..." Gilham muttered. "A pity. To die in the cold… to watch everything freeze around you…" He muttered to himself, closing his eyes. "I'll send a wingdrake out with a message to the Hunter's Guild to be on the lookout for the Iceborne's appearance." He told her before looking back at the woman. "But on to other matters, you said you brought a child with you?"
"Yes, he was the only survivor that my pack found." Ashe admitted before pausing. "I must admit; I wasn't really expecting to find anyone back there." She confessed. "So few survive the crossing of a titans, let alone one so young." She took a moment to smile. "The old spirits must have been watching over him."
"Perhaps." The First Hunter muttered. "Regardless, are you sure you want to raise him, here of all places?" He asked. "We aren't a nursery. We aren't equipped to deal with a baby."
"I know." Ashe stated. "But I'll take full responsibility for that."
"I'd be more surprised if you didn't." Gilham admitted. "You were always a responsible one." The First Hunter mused. "And yet." He continued staring at the woman. "I feel there is another reason you're doing this."
"I'm getting old." Ashe confessed. "These reflexes of mine are slowing down." She admitted. "It would be good to find a successor before my time is up."
"You aren't wrong." Gilham stated looking at his own veiny fingers. "Very well, I won't stand in your way."
"Thank you."
"Just know this won't be easy." Ashe chuckled slightly.
"I wouldn't expect it to be."
Alan wouldn't lie; he didn't know shit about babies, but if they were the animal pups; then they shit, ate, slept and cried for attention almost on a dime, and this one just kept staring at him. "What?" He asked, looking at the infant in his hands. "Got something on my face?"
Bubbles were blown.
Sitting in his bed Alan just looked at the infant, watching him blow even more bubbles in his face as drool started to gather. "I gotta say, you are the youngest pup we've probably ever had here." Alan mused as he leaned back, letting the infant rest on his chest. "It's not too unusual that we get kids brought in, but a little pup like you?" He looked at the ceiling. "Gotta say this is new." The runt on his chest just yawned as his head started to droop. "Tired huh?" He asked. "Well, no surprise there, blango one piece or not, you've been out in the cold for a good while haven't you?" He patted the little ones back. "How bout I put you to bed with a story?" He rocked his head from side to side. "What story though? Mean, I've heard a good few in my lifetime. What would be a good one for a little guy like you?" Alan muttered as he turned elsewhere in thought as he took in his surroundings. "How about… our story?" He asked before turning to the infant resting on his chest.
"Our Order was started by the Ancient Civilization long ago, long before the Great Dragon War and of course the Fall.
The Ancients, the Dragon War, the Fall… you will learn about them in time, but for now know this.
In years long forgotten; when the land was even more untamed than it is today.
The Ancient's would spread their dominion across the world.
Be it from the north to the south, the east to the west, the sun would forever shine on one part of the Ancient's civilization.
It is during the expansion of their empire, following long battles that began at dawn and ended at dusk against creatures of earth, sky and water alike, did the ruler of the Ancient's civilization seek to build an order specialized in fighting the creatures they could neither subjugate nor exterminate.
He gathered willing recruits, as well as the finest warriors who knew nothing but the slaying of creatures - of monsters to act as their teachers; as well as both apothecaries and scholars alike.
Trials were given, lessons were taught, and experiments were done."
"What was done to men and women alike to turn them into what they needed to be… many were sacrificed, but in the end, they succeeded in becoming what the Empire wanted.
Alan seemed to chuckle in resignation. "Unfortunately, what they wanted wasn't the same as what they needed." He muttered. "Their wants and desires… that was what led them down a dark path, one that eventually led them to conduct The Forbidden Act." He looked at the child rubbing his face, trying to sit up, only Alan's hand to keep him down and in one spot. "The Forbidden Act…" He paused, patting the baby's back as he looked at him. "You'll learn of that one day… for now though;"
The Order of Hunters, that was the name they gave our people, at least that was what records say."
"They were the finest warriors and scholars that were seen throughout the ages, and they became even more with every new generation being brought into this world.
Still, every they could not stop the inevitability.
As they grew in status and renown, so to did doubt and fear start to worm their ways into the people's hearts.
Seen as something less than human, a weapon who could turn its might against the Ancient's Empire… they were ostracized and driven into ruin and obscurity.
Alan sighed in annoyance.
The Order became a distant memory, it's ranks scattered following the Great Dragon War.
The most known remnants of the Order built the Hunter's Guild, who to this day pass on what they can to the new generation, while hiding the history of how they came to be."
Alan looked at the sleeping baby on his chest before smiling. "As for us, we are a sect that has been all but forgotten by the world. Personally, I'm not even sure if the Hunter's Guild fully remembers us." Alan mumbled. "But that's fine; forgotten or not, we still exist and we perform the Hunter's duty. It is in the blood we share and the teachings we inherited." Alan continued. "We are Hunters; and be we remembered or forgotten, be it against man or beast alike a Hunter must hunt." He told the sleeping child before looking at him. Patting the youth's back he watched the child turn slightly before the door to his chambers opened.
"Don't you two look comfortable." Ashe stated, staring down at the pair as Alan raised an arm in greeting. "Just be careful, he might pee on your good shirt."
"I doubt that." Alan stated before looking at the infant. "He peed when I was getting him out of his onesie. So I think the tank's empty." Alan stated before looking back at Ashe.
"I see." Ashe looked to the counter where a blango onesie was resting. "Aren't you lucky?"
"I guess so." Silence passed between the two, but if they were going to be honest, it wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest.
Sometimes people force conversations, let the words fall out because the silence was awkward and empty.
It didn't always have to be like that though.
Sometimes the silence was needed.
Sometimes the silence spoke louder than words ever could.
"So." Alan began after a few moments. "What are you gonna name him anyway?" Alan asked, getting Ashe to stare off into space for a moment. "Haven't thought that far huh?"
"I've been thinking about it." She confessed to him. "I just haven't found anything that seemed to stick." She shrugged, walking over to a chair and settled down, sighing in relief as she did. "Naming a child is surprisingly hard." Alan caught the baby before he could roll off his chest.
"Well, might have to settle on something soon. It's no fun being nameless you know."
"You're right." Ashe stated. "Without a name, his story won't be written will it?" She told Alan as she stared at the sleeping infant. "Still, what to name him?"
"Ciri?"
"That's a girl's name."
"It's still a name." Ashe shook her head before looking out the window, staring out at the world beyond it for a minute as she heard the cold wind howl outside.
"Wind?" She mused as she watched Alan set the child down on the bed and moved to the window to cover it with a folding screen. "Breeze?" She paused for a moment. "Zephyr?" She thought a moment longer. "Gales."
"What was that?"
"Gales." Ashe repeated as she stared at the child. "I'll name him Gales."
"A strong wind." Alan stated, returning to his bed to sit next to the infant. "Sounds good." He admitted before moving the blanket a bit to cover the child. "May your soul grow just as strong as your namesake, little one."