Welcome Home Luc [for ekko]

[Lorien]

Lorien sat in the little courtyard of the home she shared with her brothers and small daughter.
There was a larger one in the back where the bird aviary was, and a small swimming pond that the family could swim in.
But she liked the comfort of the smaller front one for reading and bookwork. It was big enough for a table and chairs, and was shaded from the sun, with flowering bushes covering the walls. She also came here to knit and work other craft like projects. But today she was reading a book on brothers whom sold their swords for pay.
Lorien was reaching for her sweet tea, when she heard a noise coming from the gate, she sat forward and listen, Rufus was returning, good, maybe she would have some answers. Since trying to get Rune to do anything of late was like pulling teeth, the man had been so moody of late.
When all of a sudden in walked a small boy with Rufus riding on his shoulder, Lorien leaned her head to the side to take in the site, when Rufus dropped a very large dragon egg on her.
“Lorien, this is Rune’s son Luc.”

[ekko]

The little dark-haired boy approached with a glowing smile, then straightened in a courtly fashion and bowed. "Good day Aunt Lorien. Rufus told me all about you. We walked all the way here together. May I have a drink?"

The little boy was very tired after such a long walk. His shoes and pants legs looked dusty and his hair was damp with sweat. And despite being so gentlemanly and polite he was tiny and adorably cute, just begging to be picked up and snuggled.

Looking to Rufus he asked. "Can I see my daddy now?" He had asked that every few minutes on the way there, seeming to think the answer would change on every other footfall.

[Lorien]

Lorien just stared at Rufus and Luc for a moment or two, note even registering what the boy had just asked for.

Then she seemed to come alive…

“Rune has a son? How did that, wait, I know how, but… but does he know? I mean when did this happen, when did he…”
She just sat back in her seat and looked at Luc.

Rufus looked at her, “I just found out myself, Seth had him, and he was keeping him, he said he was going to bring him to the house and such.”

Lorien’s eyes just narrowed, “ah, Seth, I wonder.” Then she stood up and when over to look and got down at this level and looked him in the eyes, “yes, I can see the Osai in him from our grandfather, “ then she looked over at Rufus, “good thing you brought him here before he picked up any of Seth bad habits.”
She looked once more at Luc, “I am sorry honey, but your father went to see a man name Galon, he should be home soon, but in the mean time why don’t we get you a nice bath and some lunch?”

[ekko]

"Uncle Seth and I had a lot of fun down on the beach. We played some games." Luc said. "But thank you very much, a bath sounds wonderful. Can Rufus come too? Does he swim?"

The boy's eyes were all alight at the idea of having a bath companion, or rather a new bath toy to play with. Rufus's wings did look an awful lot like fins and Luc had very little experience with dragons. It never would have occurred to him that the little fire elemental might be allergic to water, or dislike it in any fashion.

Contrarily, if Rufus refused to go, then Luc might refuse too and then Lorien would have a little feud on her hands.

[Rune]

A voice came out from the house.
“Rufus loves water, but you have to be careful as he will heat the water up something awful, that is why it is better to go with him skipping stones in the ocean or river, then he can dive for them.”
Rufus perked up some, “RUNE!” and he left Luc and flew straight into Rune’s chest, Rune just kind of huggled the little dragon, he had a letter in his hand which he set aside and continued outside and took a seat near Lorien.
“Taking in waif again?” he smiled over at her as he scratched Rufus behind the ear.

“Not really, “ Lorien smiled back at him.
“A playmate for Luna then?”
“Not really.”
“He is too young to be hired for working.” He gave Lorien a puzzled look, and was half tempted to tell her to stop with the games, when she just said, “nope, he is your son,” and then took a sip of her tea.
Rune just looked at her, then at Luc, back at Lorien.

“I have a son? That not possible, how did that, well I know how, but when… are you sure?”
Rufus looked up from where he was dropped and did his dragon grin, “he smell like you , so he is yours.”
Rune just looked at Luc and said “mine?

[ekko]

At first Luc was a little daunted by the prospect of finally meeting his daddy. He moved a little closer to Lorien and peered at Rune with bashful eyes.

"You look just like Uncle Seth." He said softly. "Nana Mabble thought he was you and gave me to him. He was nice though. Are you nice like Uncle Seth?"

The boy attempted a smile. He was definitely a fine looking boy. There was no reason to fear for him growing up homely or plain unless something went terribly wrong in the coming years, but at his current age that tended to be interpreted as heart-meltingly adorable.

[Rune]

Lorien placed an arm around the little boy, and leaned in and whispered, “That is because they are twins, twins run in our family, well at least with the women.” Which meant the next time she got pregnant it was a sure thing the baby would be twins.

“And I have never heard him say or do anything mean to anyone.”

Rune just kept looking at Luc and then got up and walked over to get a better look at him. Then he just reached down and picked him up and spun him around, “I have a son,” he said back down to Lorien, then he looked back at Luc, “so what does my son want?”

[ekko]

Luc giggled wildly as Rune swept him up and hugged Rune as if he had known him all his life. "I want a bath and food and then we can play a game with Rufus and Uncle Seth and everybody! Is it my birthday yet?"

It wasn't, but his last birthday had been such an amazing thing to him that he was looking forward to the next one and had been prone to asking his mother if tomorrow would be his birthday. Being in a new place with different people was not going to change that.

He let out a wide, open-mouthed yawn then and instinctively laid his head down on Rune's shoulder the poor kid was exhausted and quite likely to fall asleep standing up as it was. "Can you read me a story Daddy?"

[Rune]

Rune just smiled, “no it is your birthday, in fact I don’t know when it is, but when it comes about, we will go and see Galon and I will let you pick out a pony.”

“Rune!” Lorien spoke out, “you don’t want to spoil him, don’t you do enough spoiling with Luna?”

“Luna is my niece and that is an uncle’s job, to spoil, and Luc is my son, and sons should have ponies.”

Lorien just rolled her eyes and then notice how sleepy Luc was. “I think your son should have a bath and a nap,” she then looked at Rufus, “would you like some milk?”
Rufus’s eyes lit up, “yes, I would love a bowl of milk,” he looked at Luc, “but I was suppose to take a bath with Luc.”
Rune just looked down at the dragon, “I think for all your hard work you deserve a bowl of milk, the sweet milk, I will even fix it myself.”
Rune though it might be best to go along with Lorien on this, maybe it was not wise to have the male dragon bathing with his son. Lorien suggested it so that the bath would go quiker.

[ekko]

Luc started tugging his clothing off without prompting as small children are prone to doing. "Where is my bath?" He asked. "I'm ready. And yes I do like ponies. Is Uncle Seth coming? He said he would be here didn't he?"

He was worried about Uncle Seth. He'd grown attached to him in the short while they'd been together and didn't want to miss him before he fell asleep.

There was no sign of 'Uncle Seth' however. That was likely to be a question for another day or so since Ekko had decided to be more subversive about his intentions toward Luc especially since he did not expect the Madears to take kindly to him taking the boy off their hands now that they knew who he was.