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The forest’s canopy hung high and drooped down onto the tree branches below which had their own decorative foliage. The sky was seeable but not by a lot as clouds began to darken whilst sealing off the natural light, a sign that rain was due to fall from above which meant Enderian had to find the house and fast to avoid being drenched. Luckily for her that was not too hard because as she started walking south of the forest, a well-light up path surrounded in shrubs and flowers came into view.
This had to be the path to the house.
Enderian followed the winding path and sure enough a small ivory white cottage stood at the end, however, it felt off the moment she stepped closer to it. The goddess noticed the door was waving in the wind leaving the house open to guests of all kinds and also an opportunity for the children inside to exit when they wanted to.
What happened? Is Isla still inside waiting? Are the children alright?
Mind entered the house as quietly as possible gently calling out for Isla while she pushed the open door fully open. The goddess began to search every downstairs room for her orchid...Nothing. From the living room, the dining room or the kitchen. She was nowhere to be found nor were her children. Upstairs then? That has to be where she is. She’s probably with her children making sure they're okay as well as awake and ready to go.
She took the stairs carefully picking up her dress when she decided to race up them as butterflies soon began to fill her stomach and the thought that something happened to Isla made her anxious. She soon realised this was probably not a good idea as Enderian stopped racing up the stairs and making loud clacking sounds with her heels the second she heard small voices whispering to each other. The goddess’ ears also picked up on the smallest of sniffles coming from the room directly in front of the stairs.
When Enderian made it to the room she peaked through the crack in the door, and realised Isla’s children were in there alone. The oldest comforted the youngest whose cheeks were glossy due to the dried tears stained them, his eyes clearly red and droopy paired with eyebrows lowered while their own face was almost annoyed but comforting at the same time.
They were alone. Isla was gone. But she wouldn’t just leave them, that was far from out of character. She loved her children. No matter what happened. Something definitely happened the day or night before she arrived to aid as per request from her orchid.
Enderian decided to enter the room cautiously to not disturb them, yet no matter how quiet she was, the moment she stepped one foot the oldest ears flapped alerting them someone was there. They jolted their head around to see a figure approaching but stopping once they realised they had been caught.
In response the oldest leapt from the bed grabbing the youngest and throwing them behind their back releasing him from their grip and throwing their arms behind and around his brother.
“Wh-who are you? Wha-what are y-ou doing here?” The oldest, an avian, called out voice starting low before raising to be loud and demanding.
“First my name is Enderian. Second, your mom sent me to aid you all, not to take nor hurt any of you.” The goddess replied to the oldests demanding questions to see if it would get them to lower their rising defensive posture, unfortunately, it was to no avail.
Enderian decided to make a risky move and slowly made her way towards the children however before the goddess could approach the two children, the avian moved back before moving themselves even closer to the littlest whilst remaining in front of them as they puffed up their wings as a warning to the goddess to not step any closer.
“Go-go a-away.” The young avian mumbled out clearly frightened of her, “Papa says you bad and I’m not meant to talk to you.”
Oh this was Fables spawn. Of course he’s teaching him that she was the cause and blame for everything he’s ever done.
Enderian wanted to push past the young avian and take the one tucked behind, hidden in their siblings golden feathers, leaving the spawn behind on their own but she remembered Isla’s letter and her wishes for them to be a family so she decided to approach this differently. A way she might regret taking the other, however, that was a decision for the future Enderian, right now she has two frightened children in front of her.
“I’m not here to hurt you.”
“Li-liar!” The avian spat out, their wings puffing up even more as their figure became more hunched into a defensive position tucking the smaller figure into their wings impossibly further.
“I’m not lying. Your mom did send me to help you and her, however, it appears she's not here, so I’m to help you two for now.” Enderian’s echoey voice rose slightly but she realised it wouldn’t help so instead she lowered it softly whilst she slowly raised her hands as she lowered herself so her own slit pupiled green eyes could meet the young avians own square pupiled golden-yellowish hued eyes (an almost direct copies of Fable’s which caused anger to brew into Enderian’s stomach over the butterflies.)
“The bad man took her..” A small voice perked up, their tone clear that they had been crying, and Enderian turned her head from the avain’s to see a little head peeking from behind their wings.
The bad man? Was Fable here first? Shit. He knows where this is then. She needs to get these children out of here now before he returns.
“The bad man?”
No verbal response, just a gentle small nod.
“Are you scared he’s going to return..” What was the youngest name again? Come on Enderian, Orchid told you this.
“His name is Rae. You should know this if mom actually sent you.” The oldest spoke back up, posture stern and defensive of the woman in front.
“Thank you and I did it just wasn’t on my mind because you two's safety is more important right now.” Enderians voice shifted with no control, sharply turning her head towards the avian for a second then returning it back to the you- Rae.
The avian let out an annoyed chirp followed by a huff which Enderian picked up on making it clear how much they don’t trust her currently in this situation and how much of a pain it was gonna be trying to convince the avian to come with her. So for now she decided it was better to focus on Rae.
“Well, Rae, are you worried the bad man is gonna come back and take you away from your brother?’
“Y-ye-yes..” Rae let out a small sniffle as he looked at the goddess staring at him with worry carved onto her face.
“If you want to, to protect yourself from the bad man of course, do you want to come stay with me until we can find mom? Your brother can come as well.”
Rae’s eyes lit up, pushing themselves out of his brother's clasp so his whole figure was now in sight. Clearly he was not objective to the idea of being somewhere safe and with someone he hasn’t met along with finding their mom.
He kept his eyes on Enderian before turning his head up towards his brother and tugging on his arm to get his attention, which worked. Rae pointed his head towards Enderian with a nod and a small smile, which she can only guess was a sign to lower their wings and to her surprise she was right, ( to some degree ), as the avian lowered their wings with a groan and roll of their eyes. Even though they did lower their wings, they remained puffed up to show they were on high alert.
“She is not a bad lady icky. She- she wants to he-help us be safe from the ba-bad man and..and find mo-mom for us.” Rae tugged on their arm over and over until they pulled it out of his grip and crossed their arms so he couldn't do it again which didn't last long as he threw them out.
“She’s not a nice lady! Dad is the nice man and she is the bad lady!” The avian argued, raising their posture to be even taller than their original stature at their own brother as well as puffing up their wings at him before shaking them to settle back down.
Raes body curled in on itself after their brother yelled at them and their brother only scoffed prior to them turning their head back towards Enderian and she turned her own back towards the avian.
This was proving more difficult than expected and was becoming annoying to the point where Enderian was ready to just walk out the door with Rae leaving the oldest here. Sure Fable would find them by themselves surviving alone but it’s his annoying spawn who he’s brainwashed to not trust her anyway.
Enderian let out a small sigh (annoyed yes but also trying to recollect herself so she doesn’t end up yelling due to the known fact it would break the littlest progress with the avian.) She can do this. For Orchid. For Isla’s wishes.
“I promise I’m not the bad lady your dad said I am. Your mother disagrees doesn’t she? Or she wouldn’t have sent me. Hm?”
“Well mom…mom..” The avian went to make a counterpoint but lost it as they couldn’t find one.
“Your mom stayed with me once and you were there before you guys left to come stay here. That proves your mom thinks I’m a-” Isla left because of a mistake she made “nice lady. Right? Besides, would your mom send me if she thought I wasn’t a nice lady she would want to be with?”
“N-n-no.” The avian stuttered out, slowly shaking their head in time with their words.
Silence filled the room as the weathers' sounds became more clear: The wind blowing trees around causing them to swoosh almost aggressively, the skies downpour hid the sky whilst it hydrated nature and pitter pattered on the rooms window from the outside. A mimicry of what’s going within the walls. An attempt to bring two children,who were left on their own due to a dispute that ended with their carer unwillingly being taken, to safety. Although there was one who was more willing to go, the other wasn’t due to their upbringing in a poor household.
One second,
Then a next,
And then another.
Was she stuck having a staring match with a defensive child? Or is he thinking about it?
Only a couple of seconds passed as the avian's body seemed to slump as he let out another huff. The avian seemed to give up in trying to get Enderian to leave him and Rae alone because it was apparent she was not leaving without them which was not going to happen but now it is.
“M-my name is Ic-Icarus.” The avi-Icarus stuttered out as their facial expression went from defensive into a more sceptical facial expression.
Not a hero's name but instead a cursed one. Fable probably told them it was so guess she’s playing into this.
“A perfect name for someone whose first priority was to protect his brother, after all it is a hero's name.” Enderian turned back to the avia- Icarus lowering her voice even more to see if she could gain their trust.
“Th-Thank you and- and I’ll let you find mom for us as well as bring me and my brother to safety from the mystery bad man Rae saw if you promise to not hurt us plus take actual care of both of us.”
“I can do that, I promise .” Enderians mouth formed into a simple smile as she nodded, lending out her hand to Icarus.
Icarus turned to Rae, dropping his sceptical face into a more neutral one, “Yo-you one hundr- no why am I asking you? I know your answer.” They went to ask him a gentle question before snapping back and grabbing his hand. Rae let out a small squeak to which Icarus rolled his eyes at him ignoring the small noise and turned to face Enderian taking her own sharp hand in their own sharp hand.
Once Enderian felt that their was a firm grip on her hand along with making sure Icarus had Rae, she sealed her eyes and teleported the three of them to her home in the realm of islands and the void leaving the house empty and open for foliage, rodents plus any other creatures, cobwebs, dust, the weather to take it’s hold on it.
No one was going to step foot in this house again apart from when the goddess went to get stuff the children requested as well as the bad man returning for his children who were no longer there.