Life's Little Challenges

[Iduna]

((Based on an event several weeks back, but I'm slow. Also, the amazing Kell is a contributing writer, and will be in subsequent posts.))

During the night at the Temple of Rhauth, as the Ordo worked to test the orphans for magical abilities, Quinn spontaneously decided to adopt a traumatized little girl named Trinny. The girl had stolen her heart quickly, by looking straight up into her eyes and asking her to be her mother. The bond only grew when the child clung to her gown and hid behind her legs whenever any man stepped too close. When it was her turn to be tested by Phelan, she steadfastly refused and clung to Quinn even harder. Quinn lifted her into her arms and Trinny whispered that she watched men hurt her mother, which is why she is now an orphan. This admission sealed the decision for the bardess, who immediately set her mind to adopting the girl and being her mother, just as Trinny had asked when they first met.

After the official work was complete, Quinn went to Father Thorpe to file the proper paperwork, where he showed her the known history of the girl. The reports confirmed Quinn’s suspicion that Trinny witnessed her mother’s rape and subsequent murder while hiding inside the bedroom armoire. When the guards found the scene, the mother had been dead for three days and Trinny was still hiding inside the armoire, sitting in her own mess, and staring in wide-eyed fear at her mother’s still body. A male guard bent down to see if she was still alive, which set her off into a wild screaming fit. She could only be calmed when a female guard lifted her and took her to the Temple of Rhauth for care. Trinny, short for Trinity, did not flourish with the other children. Father Thorpe frowned as he spoke of how the child never directly interacted with the other children and would cower from any of the priests who tried to speak with her. He told Quinn that Trinny would be a challenge, but he believed she would be successful in healing the girl’s broken and fear-filled heart.

By the time she had completed the paperwork and stepped out of the temple, the night sky was beginning to color as Rel began his ascent. A slight frown came to her face and she hurried her step toward the stables. There would be no taking Trinny to her new home until that evening; Quinn had to rush to Thralls Gate to teach Pyka. A seed of worry planted within her heart, worried that Trinny would be even more terrified within the Temple of Lochwar or wouldn’t get along with Pyka, given her history; and most of all, would Ardaion be upset with her for adopting a child without discussing it with him first. After the fevered ride, Quinn and Trinny dismounted and paid the stable boy to care for her mare, then entered the temple to begin their first long day together.

The day was difficult, to say the least. Trinny remained as a shadow at Quinn’s side, never letting her out of her sight while staring at Pyka like she was a two headed monster. Despite Pyka’s attempts at bonding with the younger girl, Trinny would only give whispered, one word answers, and try to make herself as small as possible. Still, some progress was made toward the afternoon when Trinny offered the other girl a shy little smile when Pyka handed her a flower for her hair. Finally, the day came to an end and Quinn lifted Trinny onto Miranda to begin the ride home. She worried about Ardaion’s reaction the entire way, unconsciously slowing the mare’s gait to delay the inevitable. All too soon, they were riding into the gates of Cear, stabling her horse, and walking home.

Opening the door carefully, Quinn stepped into the foyer of her home while cradling the sleeping child against her shoulder. Trinny’s skinny little legs dangled beneath Quinn’s arm, securing her to her body as she quietly closed the door. She tilted her head to the side, listening for any indication that Ardaion was home and heard the heart warming sound of the elf playing with their rapidly growing puppy, Captain Blackbeard, in the next room. A nervous flutter began in her stomach as she steadied herself to show her soulmate what she had done, while hoping he wasn’t too upset. She walked into the living room and took a deep breath before speaking softly, “Ardaion, we need to talk.”

Still unaware of the child in her arms, Ardaion looked up with a smile. “Do-.. we?” He patted the dog’s belly, a slight frown creeping onto his brow as he noticed the sleeping child. He got up with a slightly worried expression and walked over to the two, looking from one to the other. The captain, wagging his tail, followed suit to greet his mistress but kept some distance, sensitive to Ardaion’s cautious approach. The elf gave the tiny bard an inquiring look. “Is everything alright?”

"Mmm...mostly," Quinn shifted the sleeping girl from one side to the other, being careful to not wake her. "I was working with the orphans, with the Ordo, and this little girl asked me to be her mother, and she is terrified of men, and I fell in love with her sweet little face so I adopted her," she avoided looking in Ardaion's eyes as she let it all out in a rush. After she's finished, she looked up at him with a hesitant smile, "she needs me, Ardaion - she needs us. Have you read her file?"

The elf gave a grim nod and sighed. "Do you think we are ready for this, Quinn? She is not an ordinary child. She is traumatized and terrified of men; even me." He gently stroked Trinny's hair and his expression softened into a small smile. "She is very sweet, though."

"I know. I'm fully aware of how difficult this is going to be, but she called to my heart, Ardaion, just as you did. How can I ignore that?" Quinn carried Trinny into the spare room, followed closely by the curious Captain, then pulled back the blankets on the bed and gently set her down before tucking her in carefully. She stared down at the peaceful face, devoid of any of the stress she saw earlier in the day, and smiled warmly, "Every instinct I have is to love and protect her. This is her new home - with us."

Ardaion wrapped his arm around Quinn's waist and pulled her close, taking her hand to gently urge her to face him, "Alright. I will support you with this and will call her my daughter as well. Gods willing, she will discover that I am not one of those evil men who killed her mother."

"Thank you, Ardaion," she smiled and rested her head on his chest, allowing his warmth to wrap around her. After a few moments, she pulled away and lifted the Captain up onto the bed where he promptly started sniffing Trinny from head to toe. The little girl smiled and squirmed in her sleep, but didn't awaken as fluffy puppy plopped beside her, curled up, and fell asleep. Quinn and Ardaion watched the scene, then looked at each other; both knowing how difficult the road ahead would be, but fully committed to seeing it work.