Mar & Althalus
A sensation of content washed over Mar the more she gazed upon Lyn. Her infant lost in her own world, absent of the cold or harshness, while her little fingers encased her thumb. The tiny hand held the same strength as any new born Naga child, her pride swelled to know her own DNA also ran through Lyn’s genes, even if it was deeper then skin. Eyes seemed entranced when her baby brought the thumb up to her mouth where she started to chew with little budding teeth. Her other hand gently stroked her baby’s head, the light blond hair marred by the red fluids and plastered to the scalp. Just from the way they felt, Mar knew they would be as pretty as her father’s was handsome.
Footsteps caught her attention. Her eyes widened and head whipped towards the source, her fangs bared with a faint hiss. It was both maternal and instinctive for her because Lyn was her first offspring. Her tail tried to lash out only to manage a weakened drag across the ground. It clear she had little to no energy to defend herself against an attack, her posture only slightly relaxed upon realizing it was students who had stumbled upon them instead of a threat. Her head leaned against Althalus’s shoulder, her eyes heavy and half open, still eyeing the pair that approached. A male Esyire and a human female, the later seemed rather excited while her arms held a few items within her arms. It would be clear to Althalus that the small gathering of people had her unsettled, inwardly she fought off the desire to ward them off by attacking. To add to her frustration, she was now aware of how exposed she and her infant were. To a Naga, this was a nightmare.
To ease the sense of dread, Mar defensively curled her tail about Althalus, Lyn and herself. Thankfully that wasn’t needed when a few medical staff, aided by Golems, with stretcher in toll. Within moments Mar’s mood had become worse and her tail wrapped tighter around the trio at the growing number of people. Too many…her instincts shouted at her.
All she could manage was a soft plead to Althalus. “I don’t like this many people… Too many.”
Althalus only smiled softly to see Mar's harsh exterior melted away when she gazed upon Lyn, not hearing Alaira's misgivings. It made for a nice change from six months of arguing and anger and stubbornness, to say the least. He was content simply to hold his child and watch. That is, until a female exclaiming something he didn't catch and then rapidly approaching made him look up. Three more students were approaching, and he heard a the female say something he didn't quite catch. Something to do with the Gods? However, his attention immediately shifted to Mar when he heard her hiss and saw her tail weakly drag across the floor. That wasn't good.
His worry about her became validated when she wrapped her tail around them. "It's okay. They're friends. It'll be okay." He whispered soothingly in her ear, shifting his grip on Lyn to wrap a protective arm around Mar. Then, of course, the Golems and a small medical staff approached and made things worse. "I'll get rid of some of them. But the Golems and the ones who just arrived are here to help." He assured her, before glancing up at Leith, Ssarak, and Annabeth. "I'm glad you're all here to see Lyn, our baby girl, but please back away. There are too many people around us for my comfort." He said it pleasantly enough, but it was clear that it wasn't a request.
The Golems and staff began to help Mar into the stretcher while Althalus handled the rest. Mar's instinct seemed to be ripping at her control as she bore it, her eyes fixed partly on the gathering and her face buried into the man's shoulder. His whispers were meant to be comforting yet she didn't seem to hear them, her body tensed over the need to defend her young. This was why Naga made burrows and went off alone to give birth. It provided safety and comfort, something outside prying eyes.
Slowly the Golems managed to detangle her from Athalus and Lyn, then place her in. Athalus shifted Lyn over to her as Mar gently placed her beside her, the infant's cooing and sounds settled the protective mother into a slight calm. With Lyn there, it was less likely Mar would lash out or attack because of the fear she might hurt her child. In moment they were moving towards the medical wing with Athalus behind, his face beaming and seemed ready to keep the crowd at bay.
Though Alaira would hear one of the staff then add, "Alaira, would you mind getting that medical kit and coming with us? Sam would want to make sure there's no other injuries as well as you're not suffering from Blood Sickness. The root sometimes isn't relible."
Finally they departed.
Xanaphya, one of the three minor Goddesses
-Looking through a small basin of water over the image between mother and daughter, Kyiir’s children. She touches the water to spot Xyden and shakes her head, the Naga saddened by her son’s grim determination and frustration. A bad feeling erupts within her being as she shifted towards her two sisters, their forms wrapped in thin cocoons and deep in slumber. She speaks, asking for her sisters to stand by and for their aid in what might happen quite soon.
Mar’s and Lyn’s images were transfixed in a basin of water. The calm surface projected the picture’s details until it almost seemed like the Goddess Xanaphya, the mother of the Ocean Naga and Xyden’s several great grandmother could physically touch them. It was a tender moment which warmed the ancient Goddess’s heart to see after thousands of years she suffered when Helkyso kill many of Kyiir’s brood, nearly wiped out her generations into the surface world. Yet, like all Naga, they managed to survive. Even regrow their number back to a respectable amount in the centuries that followed. Since then, the three Naga Goddesses had sealed themselves away from the mortal plane within a pocket created from their own energy. Now they stood apart watching their race grow and live their own lives.
She waved her hand over the surface. The image rippled and changed, a new Naga appeared. Not one of the land, but one of the sea and her. Xanaphya sighed upon the sight of Xyden looking frustrated. His form seemed to seek something or someone. What was her misguided son up to? She wondered, a bad feeling pulsed within her core and won’t leave. This will end badly for him, she was sure of it. Her head turned to her sisters wrapped within a thin material which hung form the walls, mostly a cave of sorts, and deep in slumber.
“Give me strength sisters for I fear one of mine is soon to travel a dark path…” she asked, the two seemed to have shifted in reply to her prayer.
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