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It had been seven nights since Frankenstein had started to stay at the mansion. Raizel was glad he was staying here as the human's soul seemed so lonely and broken. It was not good for humans to be lonely especially humans with a power that was trying to consume it.
As it was, there had been several times he’d had to leave the window to go and calm that power. It seemed to take any opportunity to try and eat Frankenstein but more so when the human slept.
‘One, two, three.’
The thoughts breaching his mind surprised him as they had the tones of a child. A moment later a giggle filled his mind.
He had not heard such a thing since he had last gone to the human world. Turning from his window and heading down the corridor more thoughts came to him.
‘One scarlet, two emeralds.’
The thoughts were coming from Frankenstein’s room. Raizel hadn't gone in there but if a child was playing with Frankenstein's thing he would get most upset. Even in the last few days, he had picked up on the fact that Frankenstein treasured everything he built and hated for anything to be broken.
Opening the door he stepped in and froze. He hadn’t expected this; how had this human pulled this off? Now that he focused more he could pick out those dark emotions under the child’s thoughts.
The child who was sitting in the middle of the floor playing with some blocks seemed to be engrossed in making a tower for a moment before familiar blue eyes were suddenly focused on him with a look of shock. That shock faded as the child beamed at him.
“Raizel.”
It shouted jumping to its feet and covering the distance in a blur. He almost missed catching the child not expecting it to jump.
“Frankenstein?”
If it was possible, the child looked even more pleased.
“Yep, that’s me. Have you come to play with me Raizel?”
Did Frankenstein mean to play with the blocks? Now that he looked closer it looked like Frankenstein had made a miniature version of this mansion.
“Can you put me down, please”
Nodding Raizel let him wiggle from his grip. A small hand grabbed his startling him. Why was he holding my hand?
The child smiled tugging him to come stand near the tower.
Raizel watched him play till the sun was low in the sky. As it got later in the day, blue eyes began to blink more and movements began to get slower. His little hands rubbed his eyes once more before turning to me.
“Sorry, did you want tea?”
He yawned as he moved towards the door but as he reached for the door he tripped. Raizel's hands quickly grabbed him and small arms locked wrapped around his neck.
“Sor…”
A yawn cut of his words.
"Time for sleep," He asked.
The child pouted.
"Don’t want to miss out on time with my friend."
Raizel let out a sigh and cradled him closer, his arms moved to rest between us and his hands locked on his shirt causing it to wrinkle. Raizel smiled when the small child finally relaxed and rested his head on his shoulder.
‘Can we go look out the window?’
There was no need to answer just walked through the house until they stood facing the window. It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep but even then the grip on the shirt never loosened.
When he felt Frankenstein’s mind starting to return to normal Raizel sat on the couch. The grip on his shirt prevented him from laying Frankenstein down. It was only a few moments later for his body to shift and grow until he was back to normal. The dark emotions were back in full force, and he could feel them trying to eat the human.
Frankenstein froze, mind panicking as it tried to work out why someone was holding him.
“Frankenstein you’re safe,” Raizel reassured him.
His eyes shot open to lock with his.
“Master.”
Raizel could feel Frankenstein's mind jumping from thought to thought as he tried to figure out what had happened.
“You saw it?”
The nod he gave seemed to make him tenser than less.
“I am sorry that I bothered you.”
“You were nothing but polite.”
“But we're like this.”
“It was my choice.”
He looked concerned but nodded before removing himself from Raizel's lap.
“Would you like some tea?”
It seemed to happen at least once every moon cycle, and Raizel was starting to see a pattern. Each time just before it Frankenstein was stressed for one reason or another. The stress would cause him to sleep less and he was more likely to cause trouble with the knights and Family Leaders.
Turning his gaze from the window, he heard the door handle twisting in a way that showed it was little Frankenstein. He was only just tall enough to reach them, which is why Raizel could pick up on the different sound.
Franky smiled when he peered into the room. It had taken some getting used to, but now he just returned it. It was still a little different to be around someone so little. Most of the Nobles were scared to be around him let alone let their children near him.
“Raizel can I please play in here?”
Nodding, he bent down as Franky came over to give a hug in greeting before turning to the toy box that had been placed in there when the older Frankenstein grew fed up with having to move the toys back to his room.
Watching the child play had become one of his new pastimes, and it seemed this time Franky was going to play with the trains.
When the train track had taken up most of the room, the presence of Ragar brushed the edge of the forest where the Mansion rested. Raizel had two options here: he could ask Ragar to leave, but he may have come for something important, or he could let him come here, and he would see Franky. Ragar, being a friend of Frankenstein, was unlikely to judge him, but Raizel wasn’t sure if Frankenstein wanted him to know.
The choice was made for him when Frankenstein turned to him and beamed.
“Ragar is coming.”
When Raizel nodded Franky stood up and made a shushing motion as he moved into the shadows in one of the corners. His presence vanished in a way that only Kertia should be able to.
Ragar stepped in the door a moment later. His eyes took in the train set but like any Noble didn’t question the things in other people's homes. He stepped lightly between them before bowing.
“Cadis Etrama Di Raizel, I am here to see if Frankenstein is allowed to spar.”
Nodding a greeting he kept a blank face.
Franky shot out at that moment, leaping at the Clan Leader in a blur, somehow not disturbing the train set. If he wasn’t looking for it, Raizel may have missed how the Kertia clan leader's eyes widened in shock. To his surprise, Ragar caught the little blond in outstretched arms.
The child laughed in delight which only seemed to make the Leader frown more. His eyes turned to Raizel.
“Cadis Etrama Di Raizel is this Frankenstein?”
“Yes, he will be back to normal tomorrow,"
Ragar turned back to the smaller blond.
“Frankenstein.”
“Are you here to play as well? Raizel isn’t very good at playing with trains but he is good at reading books to me when my eyes get too sore.”
“No I’m not here to play just yet but I know someone who might. How about I go get them and come back?”
Frankenstein looked weary jumping from Ragar’s arms and landing in front of Raizel.
“Who?”
Ragar smiled.
“You will have to wait and see.”
And just like that Ragar was gone and off the grounds.
Blue eyes turned to him in confusion and Raizel could see Franky was holding back tears. Shifting through his mind Raizel found that Franky wasn’t sure if Ragar was going to come back.
Without thinking about it, he scooped up the child and brought him close to him, while spinning to face the window. Franky was quick to wriggle so he could lean his head on his shoulder. They both waited like that as they looked out the window.
It didn’t take long at all for Ragar to be back but this time he could feel a new soul with him. It had the signature of a Kertia so this must be Ragar’s little one.
Frankenstein tensed before Raizel had even turned around.
The boy in Ragar’s arms was sending out his feelings of delight, a delight at his father carrying him at such speeds. The clan leader’s eyes narrowed when he saw him holding Frankenstein but all he did was place the Noble child on the ground.
Franky turned his eyes on him.
“Can you please put me down, Raizel?”
Nodding He let Franky go knowing he preferred the small drop over being placed.
Franky approached the child and gave a little wave. The other child was a little taller but not by much. Raizel would guess that he was 50 years old at the most.
“My name is Frankenstein.”
The Kertia boy looked confused.
“Rajak Kertia.”
Frankenstein’s head tilted before Raizel heard him chuckle.
“Yes, I am human.”
“Why are you here?”
“I live with my friend Raizel.”
Blue eyes turned to him as he smiled before quickly turning back.
“Do you wish to play with the trains with me?”
Rajak looked confused.
“Right, you’re a Noble so you wouldn’t know what a train is.”
He grabbed the hand of the young Noble dragged him to the toy box and took out one of them.
“This is a train. In the human world, the real ones are twice as tall as Ragar. Most of the trains run on steam but they were working on ones that run on electricity just before I left the human world.”
Raizel turned back to the window, tuning out Frankenstein's words as he showed the young Kertia his trains which Raizel had been told did run on electricity. Ragar came and stood beside him.
“Why is he like this?”
Nobles normally didn’t talk about others but he could hear the concern in his voice.
“His mind broke to save him. His power allows his body to display the age of what his mind is thinking. This happened when he has overworked himself.”
The sun was getting low in the sky when Frankenstein came up to him, tugging on his sleeve.
“Raizel can we go down to the kitchen?”
The smile Franky gave him when Raizel nodded lit his face. The child turned and he watched him go to Ragar.
“Do you mind getting the door?”
Ragar was opening the door a moment later. Grinning Frankenstein turned to the little Noble.
“Catch me if you can.”
Frankenstein became a blur a moment later. Rajak dashed after him but Raizel could feel his confusion.
Ragar and he took their time walking to the kitchen.
“Please let me know when Frankenstein is like this. I think he will be a good influence on Rajak.”
Raizel's eyes widened slightly but he nodded. Yes, human children were very different from Nobles but it would be good for Frankenstein to have a child to interact with.
They walked into the kitchen to see Frankenstein looking at Ragar expectantly.
“Finally, for a Kertia you can be very slow.”
“Was there a hurry?”
The child let out a huff of annoyance.
“Children are not allowed to cook without an adult in the kitchen or is that not a rule here in Lukedonia.”
That night ended with a very tired Frankenstein sleeping in his arms as he watched the moon.