Chapter Text
Clarus had been slightly disappointed Nyx hadn't been there when he showed up. They had arrived slightly early, though, and he knew how much his nephew disliked being cooped up at home. So of course he had been spending his time outdoors and thus hadn't been there.
He tried not to play favorites, he did. Selena was an amazing girl, and he was enjoying getting to see her grow up and figure out more and more who she was. But it had been Nyx who had stolen his heart the first time he'd been to Galahd, made him realize he wanted to be a father, worried him enough to stick around long enough to meet and fall for his wife. He had missed the little fireball.
But it was good to see the rest of the family. He had greeted his sister-in-law warmly, glad to see she was still strong a year into being a double widow. It had taken a while for him to wrap his head around it, that she had once had two husbands at once, especially since one had died before he ever met him, but he could see just how much love there had been between the three of them in every story he'd heard and the strength of the family they'd grown, and Clarus was a man who trusted his own observations. And those observations had left him very worried for a grieving woman raising two troublemakers without any number of partners’ support, but of course he should have known better than to doubt the stubbornness or strength of an Ulric.
As for the troublemaker that had been there, Clarus had twirled Selena around, delighting in her giggles, chuckling himself when Gladio had demanded the same treatment as well and his somewhat short sister-in-law had gamely taken up the challenge.
It had been so good to see the sisters catch up, too, and Clarus had stopped trying to translate and just let the lilting roll of excited Galahdan wash over him as he ushered the kids outside to give them room. Gladio had been delighted by the chance to run around and around after having to sit still for so long as they had traveled, but Selena had hung back slightly, looking a bit furtive. Clarus smiled. She was probably about the age where she would be getting crushes, right? Maybe she wanted advice from a neutral party who wouldn't be there to watch her awkward attempts at connecting.
“Uncle Clarus?” she eventually ventured, coming up beside him.
He nodded encouragingly.
“I'm worried about Nyx. He...he said he was going to be home two hours ago. And I know he had Libs, but...” she dropped her voice into an actual whisper. “Mama said there have been Niffs spotted in the jungle.”
At the word “Niff” Clarus felt himself switch to work mode immediately, shutting down the panic before it could start. Selena jerked back slightly, either at his face or the fact that he didn't immediately reassure her that Nyx was fine, but she straightened quickly as if to cover for it, her own face determined. She had always been a brave girl as well.
“What do you know?” he asked, grateful that mental work of the transition to Galahdan slowed him down enough that he didn’t bark the answer and spook either child. Gladio was still running in circles, oblivious to the discussion, and he'd like it to stay that way.
“Nyx and Libs have been 'patrolling',” she rolled her eyes at the word, and Clarus suppressed his smirk, “the jungles every few days for the past month or so. They always keep the same route. It takes most of the morning, but they don't go far from the village. It's just a big loop. Sometimes they find a bug or something, which keeps them busy for a while, or try to nab an animal they see for dinner, but they've never been out this long. And Nyx said he was gonna be fast in case you got here today. He's been doing it all week,” she added, exasperated. Clarus suppressed his smile. It was nice to know Nyx enjoyed his visits as well, but it wasn't helpful for finding him, so Clarus pushed the thought and emotion both aside.
“I...” she looked at Gladio, who had fallen down on the ground, panting but grinning at the sky. She and Clarus both flashed Gladio smiles as he hauled himself back up and went back to running, giving him a small cheer as he giggled. When they were certain he was distracted enough, she continued, voice softer. “We haven't seen any Niffs,” – Clarus was surprised she'd lasted this long pretending she didn't go with the boys as well – “but we did find a gun once, and some weird footprints. I...”
He placed a hand on her shoulder when she didn't go on, keeping his eyes on Gladio to give her space. “I think the Niffs are really out there,” she whispered.
Clarus squeezed Selena’s shoulder, half reassuring her, half himself. It wasn’t good. Nyx was brave, yes, and rather good at defending himself, but bravery and enough skill to be confident in it were often dangerous when facing a problem too big for you. Clarus had ridden herd on a young Cor long enough to be very familiar with that fact.
He took a deep breath. “Can you tell me the route they normally take? I can backtrack, see if they fell down and someone twisted an ankle or some such thing.” Or broke a leg, he thought, but kept to himself; even if it were better than Niffs, it was still far from comforting to consider.
“I can’t?” In her brother it would have been sly, but from Selena it was sheepish. “I know where they go, but I can’t really describe it. I know the landmarks, but I don’t think “the tree where Libs found a blue butterfly” is gonna mean much to you.” She chewed her lip briefly, then looked up at him directly. “I could show you?”
‘No’ said his heart, and ‘She’ll have to’ said his brain, and Clarus stood there between the two certainties watching as Gladio flopped dramatically on the ground again, tired from his running.
“Please, Uncle Clarus,” Selena whispered, not looking away. “I’ll be good, do whatever you say,” and she would, unlike her scamp of a brother, “but I really have to show you. Please, save Nyx.”
What else could he do?
“Let’s let your mom know where we’re going. And you’re going to have to listen to every word I say, even if I tell you to stay back if Nyx is hurt, promise?”
She nodded firmly, that Ulric stubbornness alight in her eyes. Clarus wasn’t sure if it was determination to listen or to disobey anyway, but he really didn’t have a choice, did he? “I swear by the sickled staff to obey you in the spirit of your commands, may the Stormlord watch my oath.” Clarus half expected a lightning bolt to punctuate the vow, but the sky remained clear, thank Ramuh.
Selena nodded again firmly. “Let‘s go save Nyx. The idiot. And Libs, too, the poor guy.”
Clarus cracked a smile almost against himself. Ulrics. He was weak to every one of them.