splitmemory | Lilia's Daycare

For a time, the painting appears to be just that: a beautiful little blonde girl in a field of yellow flowers. There's something magical about the painting, for certain, but its as if something is keeping her from moving and speaking the same way that magical paintings are known to do.

Perhaps it is because she was not of the same world.

But somehow, her painting disappeared from her father's gallery. The painter's magnum opus gone, lost to time, and to the rest of the dimension--from the one the painting had called home, to the one Mary herself had been trapped in. For her, it had felt like waking from a terrible nightmare. One where she'd faded into darkness, and nobody was there to save her, no matter how hard she cried...

And then she's tumbling out of her frame as if pushed from behind, landing hard on an unfamiliar surface. Her painting is now just a field of flowers, and she outside of it...but this isn't the world of the gallery that she was used to. It was bright, and the home she was in was a real one, not just lines on a floor that she had drawn out herself to imitate walls and doors and windows. Her small mouth is agape as she runs to a window, peering outside of it. She can see a whole forest out there, with light peeking through the branches of the trees! She can hear the sound of the wildlife. Out...she wants out!

Without stopping to explore the home she's in further, the girl is flinging open the rustic window and trying to crawl out of it.

It's a calm day in the small cottage that Lilia Vanrouge called home. Life... had taken a turn for the calm within Briar Valley these past few months -- years, he supposes, but time felt like it flew by so much faster than years. Being a father full time was an impossible job, one that he sometimes didn't feel quite ready for. Even so...

There wasn't a moment where Lilia would regret taking in this small babe.

A soft humming can be heard from within the house from a few rooms over, soft footsteps sounding out as the man wanders in to the room where that Fated Painting lie.

The door opens to reveal to the Girl a man with red streaked hair, tied up in a messy bun at the back of his head, crimson eyes wide at the sight of her. In the small man's arms was a boy who couldn't be more than three years old, cheek pressed against the man's shoulder, his eyes closed and his breathing soft, quiet. The blue outfit he wore seemed to be a little dirty, the man holding him tired.

Ah, the life of a father.

But... since when did another child wander in here?

The window is open, she's attempting to climb out-- "Ah ah ah!" Lilia suddenly vanishes from the spot he'd been standing in the doorway, appearing right next to her at the window, small boy still held up with one arm, close to his chest. His hand reaches out, carefully plucking her up by the scruff of her dress.

"Now, I've no clue just who you are or why you're attempting to climb out of this window," Lilia begins, his tone gentle but firm, "But you are not going to leave here until I get an answer... and, perhaps, we get some food in you, if you're hungry."

As his father speaks, the small boy doesn't seem to stir at all. He's out like a fucking light.

In the heat of the moment, little Mary forgets all of the manners she learned in How to Make Friends. After everything that had happened with Ib and Garry, being snatched away from the window has her lashing out at once.

"No!"

No to what? To an explanation? To food? She kicks and squirms, a look in her big eyes that very much resembles that of a cornered animal: a violence more inspired by fear than anger. Mary practically hisses in her attempt to get away. It's a good thing that Silver's such a heavy sleeper, for all the fuss she's making.

"Let me go!"

Oh, this one is feisty. Lilia breathes out a sigh, lifting her up a little higher. She's kicking and squirming so hard that he almost regrets bringing Silver along with him to investigate this matter. He should've set the boy down...

A look he recognizes is in her eyes. Like a cornered animal, scared, hissing--

"You will be let go as soon as you calm down." Lilia decides, shaking his head. "For, I've no clue whether you're a little thief, looking to steal away what little we have, or if you're a lost child, looking for shelter."

With these statements, he turns them away from the window, still holding her up. He motions back to the window - it slides shut with ease. He shouldn't be using magic this frivolously, but.... well, he had both hands full.

"Now now, I won't hurt you. Take a deep breath, look around. You are in good company, little miss."

"Put me down, leave me alone!"

Things seem to be getting worse as Lilia holds his ground, but as he speaks so calmly and regards her with such a kind smile, the fight seems to seep out of her until that ferocity is replaced by a reddening face and watering eyes.

"I'm not a thief," she says with a hiccup and then a sob. "I'm just Mary. I don't know what happened...it was so dark, but it isn't dark out here. Are you going to put me back in the dark? Please don't make me go back!"

How was he not supposed to feel for such a frail thing when her face reddens, her eyes water-- and there come the waterworks. His own expression softens, the tension that'd seeped into his shoulders fading away.

After all, this was just a child. Whatever she was dealing with must feel so big for her. Such big feelings for such a small form...

"I will not be putting you anywhere you do not wish to go, 'just Mary'." Hopefully the small jest would get a laugh out of her. She'd be able to feel herself let down slowly. Once she's standing on her own two feet again, Lilia vanishes once more, appearing on his knees in front of her. He might be holding little Silver, but he still had another arm.

His arm is held out, both in the offer of a hug and to stop her if she tried to bolt.

"Come here, little one. You don't have to be afraid. We can figure this out. Together."

Tears still falling down her face, Mary sucks in air and sniffles as she feels the ground beneath her feet again. She blinks, surprised and clearly confused, as the man offers her his arm. What was this? It wasn't a gesture that she'd ever experienced. Not from her father, not from her many siblings, and not from Ib or Garry. Mary stares for a long moment before it registers what he's doing. She'd read about this in a book, she realizes. It's called an embrace!

And so she latches on at once, only as strong as any other child her size would be, but her little fists are not at all lacking in fierceness as she holds herself tightly against him. As if he'd change his mind. His body is so warm, it makes her want to cry even more.

"Together? You promise?"

Together. Isn't that what she'd been asking for, for so long?

The moment the girl latches on, Lilia's arm wraps around her, pulling her in as close as she could get to him. Oh, dear, how was it that he always ended up finding lost children and taking them under his wing? Malleus was sure to have a few words for him once he found out. Then again.... even that little prince was becoming weak to the whims of little Silver.

Lilia's hand is gentle against her back now, unlike the grasp he'd had on her dress earlier. A careful first two fingers draw circles against her, to try and help her relax.

"I promise."

At last, at all the shifting around, the small boy begins to stir, a soft, sleepy whimper escaping him. "Ah, Silver, shhh... Go back to sleep, alright? It's okay. No need for you to start crying too, my sweet." Lilia turns his attention to Silver for a brief moment, hushing him carefully. Luckily (for the both of them) this seems to calm the boy down enough for now, his small arms looped carefully around his father's neck.

"Now, Miss Mary... My name is Lilia Vanrouge. You may call me whatever you see fit. When you're ready, then we'll talk. Until then, I've got you. We can stay like this however long you need."

Lilia's Daycare

Mary Wakes

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