To Find a Nephew

[ealasaid]

Vingo gazed upwards at the house in front of him, claws tapping upon the hilt of his slender-bladed broadsword that was sheathed in his belt. This was the address that he had been directed to by the owner of the inn in which he had stayed the night before. It was rather larger and more grand than Vingo had expected, as well as having a completely foreign architectural style, but then again, Welkin was far different than any country he had ever traveled.

He adjusted the brown, floppy hat upon his head and smoothed his whiskers before resuming his slow stride towards the red front door of the house. The marten hummed slightly as he lifted his paw and knocked, then rocked back on his heels with apprehension. He only hoped that Caden was still alive and well. After his experience returning home, Vingo had lost reassurance in situations turning out how he would expect.

[Ladorak]

Ladorak was dunking a piece toast into the runny yolk of his egg. He'd fractured the sun....his smiling bacon mouth coupled with the yellow sunny side ups for the eyes were no more. He'd devoured the bacon and the was working on mopping up the yolk that hadn't initially been eaten.

He paused, the toast hovering inches from his maw. Hmm...a knock on his door. Who could that be? Popping the that last piece in his mouth, the ermine finished off his orange juice. Yep...his winter coat had come in now. Pure white, save for the black tar tip at the end of his tail. It was fluffy too....too fluffy, but it was in his genes. His father had the same pelt.

Creasing his brow, the ermine started for the front door. Caden was up in his room, Jayd was in bed.....bedridden as she was due to give birth any day now....at least he hoped. Or.....maybe Caden was actually right there on the sofa, reading a book. Reading? He was reading? Well, well. His back to was to the giant window though, and it didn't have a good view of the front door.

Swinging his thick door back, the mustelid gazed upon a rather fine looking fellow, older than he was and perhaps a bit prematurely aged. A marten too. There was something...just familiar about this fellow. Maybe Ladorak had seen him in a tavern or even on a ship sometime. He'd been on close to fifteen different ones now. "Yes? May I....help you?" he asked, gazing quizzically behind his spectacles.

[ealasaid]

Vingo raised his eyebrows slightly at the bespectacled stoat. The beast certainly did not seem the type to kidnap a child. He had thought hard about whether to come to Ladorak with the truth or attempt to fabricate a story in order to gain entry and thus search for Caden, and had decided to leave the matter until he met the stoat. By his initial impressions of Ladorak, Vingo did not sense much in the way of danger or dishonesty. Indeed, he had heard from the locals that the stoat was kind enough.

The marten smiled slightly and tipped his cap in greeting.
"Sorry t'bother you, sir. By the smells of it, you must be in the middle o'breakfast. I'm here from the Vulpine Imperium on family matters. Without divulging t'you my whole family histories, I'll merely say that my name is Vingo Sken, older brother of Nuori Sken, or Freemont as I am told was her married name before she met her demise. After long being gone and unawares of the happenings with my family, I was informed after returning to Bully Harbor that you were the last beast seen with her son, Caden, an' I have come t'see if you are still indeed caring for him."

[Ladorak]

If Ladorak had still been swallowing his toast he probably would have choked on this news. First there was the mention of the Imperium, a place he really just wanted to forget, and then the rest of it was like being slammed by several blows all at once. Vingo Sken? Nuori Freemont's...brother? Caden's...uncle? And that he was.....looking for Caden?

Ladorak's eyes widened, and his pince nez spectacles almost toppled off his face before he remembered to scrunch the bridge of his snout back up. For a moment, he was speechless. Had Caden heard? Behind him was his foyer, with stairs leading to the second floor, the kitchen to the left and then the living room where Caden was off to the right, but both were out of sight from the front door. Polished wood paneling marked the floor of Ladorak's manor, and it seemed a nicely kept estate, with dead gardens out in front and rear. Dead of course because of winter.

"Vingo....Sken?" he breathed slowly, under his breath. "I....used to work under your sister you see." he looked behind him, into the house, but couldn't see Caden from here. "Caden....he's my ward now. I....took him in after Helandria was killed. Please...." he motioned for Vingo to step back a bit to give him room, and the ermine wormed his way out the door and shut it behind him, standing upon his front porch. "I didn't even realize she had a brother. " he was still speaking softly, as if alarmed of alerting something.

"Caden....well I only went there when I heard about her death because...I was concerned. I have a soft spot for kits you see, and the thought of him growing up with guidance it just....I don't even know what I was thinking." the ermine shook his head, closing his eyes and reopening them. "You see...I didn't...want any of that to happen. Helandria's death.....Nuori's death.....it was all meaningless. I'm sure you know the details of both. I was there when Helandria died.....it wasn't pleasant. Wrong place at the wrong time. Good hellgates I didn't even know she had siblings." he said, speaking more to himself, as if he were lost in a trance, referring once again to Nuori and not Helandria.

"I....Caden's here....and yes...I am caring for him as you put it. He's my legal ward now...I have the papers and everything. I'm sorry if I'm...a bit off balance....all of this....it's rather sudden you see. Caught me off guard." he shook his head again, as if trying to come to terms with it all. He wasn't even looking at Vingo, but down at the stonework on his porch, still staring off mindlessly at seemingly nothing. So many memories, thoughts, and apprehensions were flashing through his mind now. An uncle! Caden had an uncle...

[ealasaid]

Vingo listened to Ladorak, nodding silently as the stoat spoke. Indeed, Nuori's death had likely been long ago for Ladorak, probably an event not forgotten or set aside, but something that had been finished years before. For Vingo, it was only several months in his mind, as though she had died upon his arrival to Bully Harbor three months before. Truly, for Vingo, she had been alive until then, in his thoughts and memories as the headstrong younger sister with the world and her dreams before her.

Ladorak seemed winded by the subject, and the sight of the stoat's distress was enough to bring down Vingo's guard. The marten found tears welling in his eyes. He quickly blinked and snuffled slightly, following Ladorak's gaze downwards.

"I feel truly sorry for bringing such a sore and old matter up, sir, I really do. It is so new to me, for I had thought my sister alive all this time." Tears were rolling down his cheeks now. He did not bother in brushing them away as he looked into Ladorak's face.

"She was very dear t'me, younger by ten years an' the most wonderful companion an older brother could ask for. I don't know what happened t'her other than rumors or snippets o'stories. If you could tell me anything about her life, whether good or bad, I would be most grateful."

[Ladorak]

"Alive..." he practically gasped the word right after Vingo had said it. Yes.....what a horrible thing....to lose one's sister and only find out about it years later. He could only imagine the pain this marten was in. Wringing his paws, the ermine wasn't able to help himself but to look up into the marten's face when he spoke to him, looking right at him.

He could see tears glistening like small jewels on the sides of this fellow's cheek fur, and it caused a look of utter distress to cross Ladorak's own face. His jaw trembled a bit and he wrung his paws even more fiercely as he listened to what was said. Sniffing himself, Ladorak could feel that gut and heart wrenching feeling again...the same he'd felt when he had to leave the Imperium....when the judges pronounced he'd lost his civil suit against the merchants.....when he'd read about Nuori's death in that old paper that miner was reading on Sampetra.....when Helandria died in front of him.

"Yes...of course...only snippets." he stammered. Wonderful companion? Really? How close had they truly been? It sounded as if they were very, very close. But...hadn't seen each other in years....why? What was the reason for that? Why be so close and yet so far? His bottom lip still shivering a bit, Ladorak Diomedes Fugate nodded. "I can tell you only that.....she was a boss I often feared....because of her raging temper and her very strong will." his voice almost gave out, his lungs felt as if they were collapsing, but he gulped in some air to steady them.

"I...." his eyes darted back and forth, unable to look at Vingo at first. "I recall still though that she had a warmth to her....on downtime....when she wasn't being consumed by her job. I feel too that....well she had a passionate side as well. She was...well she had ignited a flame in my bitter friend's heart. A marten you see....currently unemployed former naval Surgeon Gregory Kasal. If she.....had the capacity to do that then there had to have been something there. He became a lot worse after her death you know. She did impact him...as much as he won't admit to it. Uh...." his voice cracked again, getting a bit higher before returning to it's normal pitch.

"Sh-she was killed needlessly in my opinion. It.....it made me so angry." he said, his paws balling up into fists at his side and his teeth gnashing together now, an intense look in his eyes as he stared at the taller marten's chest, but looking past it at the same time. "I could hardly believe the lunacy of it all. Killed over some internal squabble for power....for greed. It was so useless.....but she died fighting for her standards...at least I want to believe that's what happened. In reality I don't even know." he cracked an uneasy smile, finally looking back up into Vingo's eyes. "I could just be making that up in my mind....trying to justify and find meaning for her death....and the fact that I abandoned her when things were getting darkest. I fled because of pain....because of suffering....that I couldn't deal with." now tears were in his own eyes, but they did not fall forth yet.

"I abandoned my life and my boss....and she ended up dead. If I had been there...." he was spitting his words out, panting almost as he spoke, nearly every word being enunciated. "Would that have happened? I could have taken that blow instead.....I..." he fought back a sob now, trying his hardest to compose himself. He looked at his door, then back at Vingo. "I had to take in Caden....as atonement....as restitution for my sins. I couldn't leave him on the streets after hearing about what happened. I felt responsible....as if I had failed your sister.....and thus I came for her son. I just wanted him to have a good life...not one of constant fear...or pain. Insecurity..." he sniffled again, his head itself now quivering from side to side a bit. "Just like I had growing up. I didn't want that for him! I didn't want him growing up alone...I hope you understand. I meant no harm in taking him from his surviving family....I wasn't even aware he had surviving family....she never told me.....she never even mentioned it...." his voice was a wisp now, carried off on a sudden breeze that sprang up, vanishing into thin air.

"She never said a word." he finished, lowering his eyes again to stare at Vingo's footpaws.

[ealasaid]

Vingo had taken off his hat at the beginning of Ladorak's telling. By the end, it was crumpled in his tightly clenched paws. The fur on his cheeks was wet with tears and his ears lay back mournfully. To think that such could have happened to his dear little sister.

Ladorak had mentioned a temper; it seemed as though her youthful tantrums had grown into full adult rages similar to their father's. But she fought for her standards, the stoat said. That sounded more like Nuori. Headstrong, yes, sometimes so much so that it got her into trouble, but she always lived to what she thought was right to 'Gates with the consequences.

So it was true what the Guardsbeasts had said about her being slain upon the beach by the Minister of Misanthropy after marching on the Harbor in command of the Army. The story went that she had done it to protect the throne of the emperor against the uprising of the other Minister, and, by what Ladorak related, it seemed as though this was likely to be true.

He did not blame the stoat in the least for taking Caden in, though a lingering doubt remained until he actually met his nephew. Vingo had to be sure and certain of the state of the kit..

Why had Nuori failed to mention any of her family? He knew what had befallen their father and other brother, the former murdered by the latter, and the latter killed by Nuori in vengeance for their father, but why had she never mentioned Vingo to anybeast? He wondered if she had become so mistrustful that she did not take him on his word that he would return. It pained him to think of such a thing, and it was all he could do to keep himself from sobbing brokenly in front of this stranger.

As it were, he took a deep, shaking breath in an attempt to calm himself.
"Now that you tell me the story, I wish that I'd been there as well t'stop what happened. Last I remember her, she was a teenager, ready t'escape the life of nobility just as I did. By the sounds of it she did just that! She always was headstrong an' independent, but loyal an' caring to those she truly loved." He smiled through his tears at the memory of her pretty young face, blue eyes just like his own gazing out at the sparkling blue expanse of the sea.

"An' I don't blame you at all for what you did. There's no way for you t'have known, no way for anybeast but Helandria t'have known, the awful rat. Why Nuori trusted her with the life o'her son, I'll never know. An' why she never told anybeast about me is a bigger mystery yet."

He wiped his sleeve across his face to soak up his tears, managing an apologetic smile at Ladorak.
"Sorry, sir, if I'm upsetting you. My companions over the years have always mocked me being too softhearted, but there's no helping it." Vingo took another shuddering breath before continuing. "But I think you'd understand that I truly do wish t'see my nephew, just t'be sure of his well being. However, if there's a better time, if you'd like to speak with him about it first, I'll understand. I'm staying at an inn closer to town an' can wait there if need be."

[Ladorak]

Ladorak realized after he'd said it that Vingo would probably be hurt by the fact that her sister had never mentioned him. Shrugging, he raised his paws helplessly. "I...don't know. She must have had a reason right? I...I can't imagine it's because she held some sort of grudge though." he added quickly. "No news is good news after all right? I mean I....I'm sorry I'm probably only making this worse. But you're right." He said, nodding at Vingo's memories of his sibling.

"She did....accomplish her goals I think. If what you say is true, then I'd say she made it." the ermine pursed his lips and frowned thoughtfully. "She was well....annoyed a lot with her job but...at least she gained that independence and strength I think she must have been seeking. It is as you said Jal Sken....oh right...Jal is short for jack, or male mustelid in this country, but Jal really has come to mean Sir or Mister....I've gotten used to it you see....but yes it is as you said. She probably did achieve what she was seeking."

Thinking about it that way made the ermine glad. It made it seem as if perhaps Nuori's life was not so meaningless after all. And of course it wasn't meaningless....she'd impacted him in such a way that he would never forget....even if it was eight years ago. He'd never forget it....as long as he lived.

"No I'm...sensitive myself." he added to Vingo's comment about being too soft. "Oh...yes....seeing Caden. I....well I don't know how he'd take it to be honest. Helandria...left a lot of scars with him. Didn't raise him properly. When I found him he believed everything was his and he should beat up anybeast stupid enough to stand in his way. Oh this was back in February you see....I remember taking him to this gala..." he couldn't stifle a small laugh that escaped his throat. It was half laugh and half exhalation really. "He hoarded all the toys in the playroom to himself, and formed a circle of older beasts his age to keep out the younger ones. That's when Jal Calone came in....Luxe Calone, a blacksmith in town. Taught the kid a thing or two about fair fighting....and ended up..." but Ladorak suddenly stopped short.

What was he gonna say? Broke his arm? How would his uncle take that? Ladorak had nearly floored Luxe after he'd found out. It was only because he could see that the stoat hadn't meant to do that that Ladorak had stayed his paw. "Well anyways he's been getting better. He's made a...a thing that um Jal Calone showed him. It's to remember beasts by. He had this nice green leather collar made, and on it are these gold bands you see, and inscribed on each are the names of a beast he wants to remember. There's his mother and father and well....Helandria." the ermine grimaced now, sticking out his tongue. Pausing, he swallowed and finally finished.

"I somehow made it on there as well. I wouldn't say we've fully bonded but...he's adjusted to living here. I realize I probably just made this difficult on you by taking him in but...." Ladorak sighed, unsure of what to say. "I don't see any harm in you seeing him though. I can't deprive you of your family." the ermine admitted, even though he was unsure about how this meeting would work out.

Reaching over, he threw his door open, inviting his guest inside. "Please this way....he was reading in the windowsill last I saw him." Turning to the right, Ladorak stepped into a rather nicely furnished living room. There was a mantle with a great hearth on top of which rested a mighty broadsword of black, carbonized steel. A brilliant opal nestled in the hilt, complemented by an amethyst at the very bottom. It was fashioned by Serami Blades Ltd, one of the best blade smiths on this planet.

To the left was a dining room type area with a glass door that led outside to the backyard, and to the right was a great window that offered a stunning view of the sea in the distance, over the hills. A couch ran the length of the sill, and on the couch, upon the faded blue velvet, sat an albino marten kit. Twelve years of age, and a few months away from his thirteenth birthday, he was dressed in simple clothing, a vet and pants really being all he had on. His snout was still buried in the book, some sort of Navy manual, but in reality it was a guide for aspiring midshipmammals. It was geared towards kits of Caden's age, as once they hit thirteen they could legally enlist. Caden, who wasn't a great reader, was silently mouthing the words as he read.

"Ahem." Ladorak cleared his throat, causing the pink eyes of the marten kit to swivel upwards, looking first from Ladorak to Vingo. "How's your studying coming?" the ermine asked, giving the best if not a tad forced smile he could.

"It's fine so far." the albino replied. "I don't really understand a bunch of it but I'm guessing I can just ask you later."

"Of course you can....you'll be learning as you go." that smile stayed upon Ladorak's countenance for his answer.

"Who's that?" Caden asked now, shifting the book to reveal the aforementioned green leather band about his neck, the golden plates jingling slightly as he moved. His snout was angled in the direction of Vingo.

"Caden this is someone very special. He's a guest....new in town you might say...but I'll let him introduce himself." Narrowing his eyes a bit as he listened, Caden studied this newcomer. A marten....taller than Ladorak, but other than that not much was really recognizable to the kit. Clasping his book shut, he set it down next to him and leaned back in the couch a bit.

[ealasaid]

Vingo couldn't help but gaze about at the richness of the house. It reminded him somewhat of his own home growing up, though perhaps less noisy without Nuori and Harbrow constantly arguing. The marten had placed his hat back upon his head after smoothing it out as best he could. The thing was so worn by this point in its life that it was rather floppy anyways.

His breath caught slightly at seeing the albino kit sitting upon the couch. When Caden turned, Vingo could see little family resemblance, and he guessed that the kit favored his father, Gordon Freemont, in looks aside from the albinism.

Vingo liked the way Ladorak spoke to Caden, and the kit seemed well enough. When the floor was turned to him, Vingo, usually adept at finding words, had a difficult time forming a complete sentence for a moment.

"I...er...I'm...uh..." He cleared his throat, closing his eyes to regain his composure.

"Forgive me," he began again, opening his blue eyes, which were beginning to well up with tears once more, but he managed to keep the waterworks under control this time. Don't want t'be overly upsetting him. Vingo sat on the edge of the couch, looking intently at his nephew. There was no sense in delaying things.

"My name's Vingo. I recently made the trip here from Bully Harbor t'come see you, Caden. You see, I knew your mother. She was my younger sister. We were both very close before I left t'go wandering many years before you were born, an' even before Nuori had joined the Navy. I only returned several months ago t'find out that she had died eight years ago. But when I heard that she had a son, I knew I had t'come find you, 'cause I needed t'know you were being treated well an' doing alright."

He smiled and extended a steady paw. "So, it's nice t'meet you, my nephew, Caden. You can call me Vin, s'what your mom called me when we were young."

[Ladorak]

"Mom!?" Caden's pink eyes took on a look of confused puzzlement and at the same time shock. They widened but at the same time the young marten's brow furrowed and he had this cute if bewildered expression upon his features. "Mom?" he asked again, hardly believing any of this. "You're.....my uncle?" he asked, his eyes popping now at this.

Ladorak felt pained and yet relieved. He felt pained because he didn't want to of course Caden any more emotional harm by bringing up his past and yet.....it was good that Caden's uncle was here too, as it was only fair he be allowed to see what was probably his last living relative. He looked off to the side, then down at the floor and then up at the two of them. Caden seemed as if he had been struck by lightning, he was just frozen to his seat.

"Um......you knew mom?" he asked, staring wide eyed at that offered paw.

"Go ahead Caden it's alright. I spoke with him beforepaw and he's a very nice jack." Ladorak offered a reassuring smile, as he could see that the albino was actually looking at Ladorak with a Is this guy OK? look. Well that was a first. At the start of this year Caden would never have looked with such favor upon the ermine. Nodding, Ladorak raised his brows to tell him it was alright.

Reaching out, he took the offered paw at long last but just sort of held it limply, unsure of what to do. "Do you.....do you know what my mom was like?" he asked now, looking into Vingo's eyes as if trying to read him.

"Oh! Jal Sken....apologies for interrupting. Could I offer you a drink perhaps? I'm partial to gin and tonics myself. It helps alleviate my condition you see." he didn't explain further, but Ladorak had malaria. His guest and Caden were safe from it, as it was extremely hard to spread beast to beast, and the quinine in the tonic water acted as a cure. "I have a wide array of beverages, including teas and the like. Caden? How about you?" the ermine asked.

"Juice." Caden responded simply, not taking his eyes from Vingo for now. By juice Ladorak knew he meant apple, as it was one of his favorite drinks. Anything but water was being offered really, as water supplies just weren't safe in this day and age, unless it was collected rain water from a ship at sea. A century from now they'd realize it was microorganisms that contaminated drinking supplies, but how could they know that now? They were smart enough to stay away from land based water though, and often drank other sources to quench thirst.