Where you go I shall follow

[Akiv Orlouge]

His attention was pulled from one place to another, the pretty blue flower that had sprung up sometime in the last few weeks, the bumblebee making its way home as the clouds began to roll in, sending vibrations into his ears as it buzzed by. He counted the steps as the group of children made their way back to the classroom, Mr. Aimer leading the way. His friends gathered around him, poking each other and laughing, but Akiv Orlouge looked straight ahead, his grandfather’s presence in his mind his only concern.

”I’ll be down in a few moments to collect Akiv, please make sure he is presentable.”

Akiv liked it best when Gradnpa Sei spoke only to him, but it did make him feel important that he always made sure Akiv heard everything that concerned him. This message was meant for Aimer, who quickly turned around and held out his hand.

“Come Akiv, we’ll have to get you cleaned up a bit.” The man pulled the boy close, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and rubbing away at the dirt-stained face. It stung a little but the man made funny faces as he worked, keeping Akiv calm. Soon Aimer’s face fell as he realized most of the dust wasn’t coming off without a bath. He instead simply straightened the boys wrinkled clothing and gave a shrug. “I guess you’ll have to do.” He tousled the child’s hair as he stood, seconds before Sei Orlouge appeared in the doorway.

Akiv was vaguely aware of Sei’s status within the castle. It was hard to miss the looks the duo got when they made their way through the huge stone hallways. As they walked up the stairs Sei kept his eyes focused on the child, smiling as he heard the boy counting each step. One, two, three, four…

”How are the gardens, little one? Sei nodded as they passed a soldier on the stairwell.

”You made me lose count grandpa!” Akiv furrowed his brow and began counting again. Sei merely smiled at the determined boy, his hand resting on the boy's shoulder.

As they reached the top floor a large man blocked their path. Akiv noticed his dusty coat immediatly, wondering silently if he too had been digging in the rosebuds.

“Sei, I need to speak with you.”

Sei motioned for the pair to make their way down the hall, where Akiv was handed a paper and pen to draw while the adults discussed something ‘important’.

Akiv wasn't paying much attention until one word caught his ear. "Kyla."

He closed his eyes, desperate for what the man may have to say.

"She's been found, Sir."

[Silence Sei]

Traces of peppermint, a scent wafting out of the crack underneath Sei’s door, crept its way through the air. The mute stood before the Ixian Knight, his eyes every so often focusing back on the little boy just a few feet away. Ever since Kyla had gone missing, Sei had made it his duty to watch his adoptive grandson every chance he had. He had been taking a hiatus from war planning in order to take strolls with the child, an attempt to connect with the boy in a way that only a grandparent could.

“Who found her, and where?” Sei’s eyes shifted back towards the guard, then instantly back to the young Akiv. His posture had shifted slightly since Sei had begun talking with the soldier, a physical tell that told the mute that the younger Mystic was eavesdropping.

“Lady Anita found her, Lord Orlouge, in Radasanth, of all places.” the man’s reply was formal, and received only a nod and a pat on the shoulder from Sei in appreciation. The guard took the hint; nodding and making his way down the stairs from whence Sei and Akiv had just came from. The Mystic smiled towards the boy, taking several small steps towards him. He leaned down; a hand placed upon the little ones back as a way to comfort him.

“They found your mother, Akiv,” Sei had always believed in telling the truth to his children, even if they were as young as the boy before him. After all, there was no reason for the older Mystic to lie. “I don’t want you to think anything bad happened to her, she’s fine. In fact, if I know your Auntie Anita, she’ll have her home in no time.”

While Sei did not approve of Anita’s actions (he had actually forbade her to go searching for her sister), the smile that seemed to instantaneously plaster across the young boy’s face became outright infectious, his cheer rubbing off on the mute in a quarter of a second. His hand moved to the young Mystic’s hair, ruffling it up a bit with his hand as he began to stand upright once more. “Now, what do you say we try and do something special for her return?”