My Guard

[Kender Bard]

It'd been a little while since the terrible incident. Luminous had been cleaned up and cared for extensively. She never left her mother's side - Lya's choice. Where Lya was (and she was always with Shadow), Lumi was there as well. Only now she wasn't; Angel had forced Lya to sleep, all but tying the Queen down to her bed and Lumi was wide awake at the moment and in her nursery.

She held one toy that she'd never seen Sarah pick up but stared at the rest remorsefully, not playing, just thinking. Eventually she got up and wandered over to Vortai and tried to climb into his lap - she was getting a bit big for it, but it was still doable. "Vortai...?"

[adris]

Vortai was caught almost by surprise, honestly it had been a slow night. Something he was thankful for because he too was lost in thought about this whole situation. He snapped out of it immediately when he felt the tugging of Luminous and helped the girl up a little during her ascent.

"What is it my lady?"

[Kender Bard]

Luminous leaned against Vortai, resting her head against him. Though she understood that Vortai was a servant, sort of, she felt as though he was part of her family. After all, he'd been around as long as she could remember.

"Why did Sombra do those things?" she asked in a quiet little voice.

[adris]

That was a difficult question for a child to ask, the motivations of a terrible woman are hard to explain. He rocked a little in his chair, hugging Lumi a little, mostly for support but he figured it was also a bit appropriate at the moment.

"Well, because... she was mad at your dad. She believes for some reason that she should be queen, and your dad shouldn't rule this land. She's wrong of course, but it means she will do bad things to good people to get what she wants."

He tried hard to put things into words, he wasn't a master of psychology himself. But, he wanted to tell her the truth while assuring her that she's still the good girl in all this.

[Kender Bard]

The explanation was a little beyond Luminous. She understood that Sombra wanted something that her father had. "She can't share?" Luminous hazarded.

[adris]

Vortai thought for a second, wondering if it was at all possible. The problem with Sombra is even if splitting the land were possible, her side would firmly believe that the other has no right to exist. He tried not to hesitate too long thinking of an appropriate response.

"Well, there are some people in this world that want everything. Sombra is like that, where she would hurt people until she had all that she could take. So, even if your dad wanted to share it wouldn't work."

He wasn't that educated himself, Hell it might only take a couple years for Luminous to outclass him. It was kind of hard to wrap his own head around nobility and power struggles. Right and wrong were black and white enough that he just went off of that.

[Kender Bard]

That made sense as well. "Needs a timeout," Luminous sighed and shut her eyes, lulled by the rocking peacefully. "Why did Mommy and you go 'way?"

[adris]

Vortai smiles, but resists chuckling at Luminous' suggestion. He knew she was serious, and that's why he tried to hide his amusement as much as possible.

"I promise you that next time we see her she will get just that princess."

The next one was harder to swallow, as a bodyguard hardly any excuse seems good enough to be away when your charge goes through what she had to.

"Well, it was terrible timing but your mother and I were gone for good reasons. We have friends and family in another city and we just wanted a little time to see them. I hope you can forgive me my lady, it pains me to know I could have been more help."

A lump appeared in his throat for half a moment that he swallowed down. A sudden mixture of rage and guilt. It was easy to convince himself that he did nothing wrong, but it was just so hard to say it right now, so soon after the incident. Its easy to see Lumi doesn't hate him for it either what with all that's going on this moment, and that helps put him at ease.

[Kender Bard]

"I missed you," she mumbled and clung to Vortai tighter. "It's okay though. Will you come if I need you again next time?"

[adris]

He hugged her closer, the rocking was soothing him as much as it was her right now. He was... happy, this was a moment that he could truly list as being a happy one. If Sombra only knew that her failure only made him feel that much stronger.

"I missed you too my lady. And, I am your guard, and yours alone. If I hear that something or someone is causing you pain, I will cross Naruta in an instant to help you. That's a promise."

He continued rocking, albeit trying to stay awake. He assumed that Lumi wouldn't want to spend all the night in his lap, although he was about to question whether or not he could beat her at staying up right now.

[Kender Bard]

Luminous smiled at those words and gave a little yawn of contentment and drowsiness, finally sliding off his lap reluctantly. "Tuck me in?" she asked. "Mommy's asleep..."

[adris]

Vortai nods and stands up, walking her over to her bed. He helps her up and pulls the sheets up over her. Throughout all this a little song he remembered his adopted mother sang every once and a while. He hoped that was enough, his singing voice wasn't so grand and the point was to put her to sleep, not make her ears bleed. He wasn't quite skilled at this, but he figures its simple enough that he doesn't need to be.

After he gets her in tightly enough he touches her lightly on the forehead, "Goodnight princess."

He turns to leave, pausing for a moment in the door frame. He went through a mental checklist to make absolutely sure he didn't miss anything before he left.