Blood and Water (♠ Blue Suit ♠)

Tome debated, thinking of the repercussions of naming the little thing - namely attachment. Finally, he sighed and just nodded. "Very well. If you should like him to have a name, he shall." She could name the poor thing if she wanted to. It wasnt like it was going to make anything worse.
 
A smile crept over her lips and she lowered her eyes to the dragon on Tome's arms. Pursing her lips together, she watched him for a bit. A name... A name... "... Joachim. You like it?"
 
Tome made a little bit of a face, glancing down at the dragon. "It seems . . . regal, for such a little thing. . . But he likes it." The little dragon had let go of the bottle halfway to look at her, the rubber end still against the corner of his mouth and dripping a bit from where he'd drank from it, unnoticed as he looked intently at Mia. Finally, he broke the sudden silence and made a squeak-y, happy-sounding noise, wriggling a bit in Tome's arms, then went back to his bottle. Despite himself, Tome smiled faintly. "I think he likes you for naming him." Which obviously didnt bode well for the future. Little Joachim liked them both, and they were never going to be rid of him.


((I hate being sick -_-


But also, I pronounce that name like Joe-ah-kim. Sound right?))
 
Mia couldn't help herself nor the happy smile that brightened up her face. She really liked him too. Had liked him ever since she had found the egg. And now that she could hope, really hope to keep him, she felt how she liked him even more. "Thank you, Tome" And she was grateful for letting her name Joachim.


(What do you have? :S )


(Like that! That shall be my son's name! xD )
 
Tome looked at her as Joachim sucked on the bottle, a little confused. "For what?" It wasnt like he could've stopped her naming the baby, even if he'd had any desire to do so. Shaking his head a little, he looked down at the slowing of the steady sucking sound, and realized Joachim was beginning to drift off again. "Well, I think he's about done. We can get moving again, and hopefully we'll be there by the time he feels hungry again."


((Just a cold, but I'm rarely sick and it sort of hit harder this morning than yesterday. I managed to go to work yesterday, but got steadily worse as the night went on, and was horrible this morning, so I just called in as early as possible hoping they can get someone to cover for me. I know the shift's still six hours away from now, even, but I also know ill be as bad as early this morning come nighttime -_- best just not to go))
 
Shaking her head Mia replied "Just thank you" There were things she felt grateful for that perhaps Tome wouldn't find as worth to thank for. "Hopefully" She agreed as she walked over to her horse to get a hold of the reins.


(Yeah, it would be the best. Better to rest and get better :) )
 
When Joachim had fully stopped eating, Tome put the bottle away and settled the dragon in his pouch again, then got up onto his horse and started off. They didnt run, because it was too bouncy for the baby, but made good time nonetheless, faster than walking on foot would have been.


((Skip to nursery?))
 
(Sure! Sorry Nala could you make that post? Don't know what to write right now nor how should they get there XS)
 
((No problem :) gimme a minute or two)) 
They ran out of the milk they'd purchased hours before they reached the nursery town, and Joachim was not happy. An hour after it was gone, he was already crying, a squeaky, pathetic sounding noise, and wriggling around in his pouch like he wanted out. Tome did his best to soothe the baby dragon, but only managed to get hint o sleep briefly. The baby was at it again, when they reached down, and every person they passed on the way in was looking at Tome and at Mia, and Tome barely had to begin asking anything at all before the locals were pointing them in the right direction. A couple even ran ahead - to spread the word, presumably.


What was amazing, to Tome at least, was that the town itself was also filled with dragons. Smaller ones, mostly, used to help work like donkeys or horses, or just as companions or babysitters. He'd seen one smaller dragon knocking a ball back and forth with a toddler, and no one seemed worried. The nursery itself, though, was a wonder. It was a collection of very large, barn-like buildings, with an even larger field near it and places where plants were grown, to feed the dragons, possibly, but there were medicinal herbs as well.


Time got down from his horse when a young man came to take the reigns from him, and lifted Joachim to hold him rather than have him in the pouch. The baby dragon looked happier, after that, and Tome followed the girl that had come out to retrieve them, heading towards one of the buildings to meet a 'matriarch' as she put it.


((Sorry, parents came home and we talked a bit))
 
Mia was sincerely bewildered. She had never seen a dragon before. But then they cross ways with Joachim and now she was finding herself on a town full of them. Literally full. So different in shape, color and size. Lots of them here and there performing tasks she'd have never dreamt of seeing a dragon doing so. She allowed her horse to follow Tome's as she ran her eyes over the place. She could feel stares on them and perhaps it was because Joachim was being a bit too noisy unlike the other dragons. Outsiders, that's the word must of the locals should have been having on their minds.


Most of all, the place they arrived to was just amazing. At one point, as they followed the girl that had come out to retrieve them, she swore she had heard a roar nearby. Never would have she imagined she'd end up in that kind of situation. They had left the house to buy herbs for christ sake! That... that was simply out of this world. Maybe she was exaggerating but there was a reason to her exaggeration. Mostly, apart from the time she had met Tome and Fawn and had gone to the castle, she had been surrounded by humans.


Up in the sky, from the corner of her eye, she thought she had seen an enormous black creature flying by. My God, would Joachim get to grow like that?


(It's okay. I had to leave)
 
Tome glanced back at Mia, every once in a while, to be sure she was following, and did his best to ignore the heads that poked out of windows and doors to look their way, human and dragon alike. Joachim was quiet now, surrounded by bigger dragons and lots of people and the noises that were mostly normal for a busy town but still something he'd never heard before. Tome cradled him closer when the baby seemed nervous, murmuring softly to him to quiet him.


When they finally reached the right barn, the girl leading them told them to wait and hurried inside, closing the door behind her, but not before Tome saw eggs and heard cries similar to Joachim's inside. Not a minute later, a woman popped her head out,her eyes a bright yellow and her skin tinged the faintest shade of blue. Her hair was white, like Tome's, but she looked hardly 30 years old.


"Oh, you've got it!" She stepped t and forward, looking only a little frazzled from work, but Tome took a protective step back, arms curled around Joachim. She paused surprised, but just nodded knowingly. "It's all right. I won't take him from you. Just let me see him a moment, dear."


Tome looked at Joachim, unsure, then finally nodded and handed him over, carefully, and with a watchful eye. "He's only just hatched-"


"Oh, I know, hon, I know. Follow me." Then she was off, walking back into the building. Tome looked at Moa, frowned, and just turned to follow.
 
So... pretty That was the first thing that came to mind as soon as the woman popped her head out. She can't be human. As soon as she told them to follow, Tome's and Mia's stares met and as he turned to follow she did so as well. Had been walking behind him all the way there due to her being distracted looking around. However, she took a long stride so that she could walk by his side.


"It's so big here" She finally commented more to herself than to anybody else. Had thought the same about the castle, but she obviously liked that place much more. With the pretty lady, Tome and dragons everywhere she actually really felt on a fairy tale. A smile settle on her lips and she intertwined her fingers behind her back.
 
Tome nodded and just put a hand behind Mia's shoulders to keep her next to him, keeping her close. Everyone was focused on Joachim. Not one person had said anything about Tome's halfbreed looks. He was glad for that, at least. It was one less thing to worry about.


"This little cutie's a bit attached to you." The woman was saying as they walked, talking fast like it was practiced, but her voice had a soothing lilt to it from working with the young ones. "Already squirming for Mommy and Daddy."


Tome frowned slightly. "We're no t. . ." He shook his head. "Nevermind. Just - we found him abandoned, and intended to get him here before he hatched. We . . . We'd like to know how to care for him, so we continued here anyw-"


"Oh, don't worry about that, children. We'll have you set up in one of the empty corners close to the little one. He can sleep with you, if you're careful - but let's get down to business, shall we? What have you been feeding him?"


Tome had a feeling there were a lot of questions to be answered.
 
Mia was a bit surprised when she felt Tome's hand behind her shoulder but she didn't dislike it. Actually, she wasn't sure if it had been because of the surprise or not, but her stomach felt a bit... fluttery for a moment. "This little cutie's a bit attached to you." The woman's voice snapped her out of it and she automatically raised her head to Joachim, a small smile settling on her lips.


The smile, though, turned a bit shy as she commented the mommy and daddy part and it faltered for a moment when Tome was about to correct her. It was a strange whirlpool of emotions which she didn't feel like dealing with right now because it'd maybe make her look stupid. So she pushed them aside for the time being.


It was somehow relieving that they were able to be close to Joachim, there were so many dragons over there she wanted to keep the little one close.
 
((Hmm, considering having a small dragon that talks help out. thoughts? Pic attached))


Tome answered the questions the woman had for him about what they'd fed Joachim, where he'd hatched and how they'd dealt with it, as well as how long, almost to the minute, that he'd been hatched. Tome answered them all as best he could, still caught up a bit in the flurry of activity. There wasn't even so much going on, just a dull background thrum of noise from the hatchlings, and a few nurseryhands wandering about, but it was almost dizzying, seeing so much around them.


When the woman led them into a room filled with herbs and fruit and spices, she turned a little suddenly and handed Joachim right back to Tome. "You've done a good job, children. I commend you, for taking adequate care of him with little to no knowledge whatsoever. The milk was even a decent enough choice, but now we'll get him started on a more balanced diet." She was pulling down ingredients, putting them in a bowl and mashing it into a sort of paste. "I'll show you how to make it yourself in time, and you'll need to learn what he'll need as he grows bigger. He won't be too large, dear, just a mid-size, but he'll still be larger than your horses out there, and he'll be a handful." She looked up at them, a few pieces of long hair hanging haphazardly loose from the ponytail it was tied in. "You two have a lot of learning to do, and a long, difficult journey ahead of you. But don't worry," She smiled, gently and reassuringly, but with a sort of energy to it, and Tome felt oddly drawn to her, to listen to every word. "You're in good hands here."<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_10/73bb7bd99f90f24ddb21bc2d75dbeaed-d4nvlsg.png.2279888a62dd7de6d88d1049a4183b41.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="7623" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2013_10/73bb7bd99f90f24ddb21bc2d75dbeaed-d4nvlsg.png.2279888a62dd7de6d88d1049a4183b41.png" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>

 

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(Like how? Joachim being able to talk?)


Mia watched the lady as she heard to every word she had to tell them. As she praised them, she had to admit she hadn't done anything at all. Tome knew how to deal with the situation and though Mia could've probably being able to deal with the hatching she'd most likely panic at the beginning. Tome was the one who didn't want to keep it before, but he had been the one who had handled him the best. Mia couldn't take that praise to heart.


At the woman's smile, Mia couldn't help it but feel the corners of her mouth raising into a bit of a smile. That lady seemed so nice and kind, it felt rather reassuring.
 
((Oh, no, I mean the little dragon would be at the nursery and would talk to Tome and Mia to help lol and teach Joachim stuff when he's still little, like how to walk and move his wings and tail and such))


Tome watched carefully as the woman spoke and mixed, nodding slightly along with her words as she explained what was in it because he was uncomfortable taking praise, still. Joachim started to stir at the faint smell to it, looking towards where it was coming from and squirming in Tome's arms, though not as if to get away.


Finally, the woman picked up the bowl and stepped closer. "All right, let's take turns." She took him from Tome, carefully, with one arm, and deposited the little dragon in Mia's arms instead, then put the bowl in Tome's hands. "He's less likely to bite you, seeing as you hatched him. Put a little on your finger, darling, and let him see it."


Tome paused, a little taken aback at her speed, but nodded and put a little of the paste on his index finger. He held it up for Joachim to smell and the little dragon gave a happy little chirrup, reaching for Tome's hands clumsily and licking off the food. Tome blinked, surprised, and glanced at the woman. "The whole thing, just like this?"


She only smiled and nodded and let them be. "Teamwork, dearies. I'll be over here making more for the others."
 
(Oh, okay I understand. Sounds good :) )


Mia followed the lady with her sight, brow raised, before she looked back and lowered her gaze to Joachim before she glanced up at Tome. It was an odd situation. "Does he have teeth yet?" It was not the brightest thing to ask but actually she was curious. The little dragon seemed to enjoy it to say the least.


Having Joachim on her arms still made her a bit nervous. It was just her or he felt heavier. Perhaps, she was just being over conscious. She shifted her weight a little and moved her hand slowly and lightly to get a hold of him better.
 
Tome shrugged slightly, getting more of the paste on his finger for Joachim to lick off. "He's got claws, so it's possible. I haven't seen any yet." But then, the baby didn't have to open his mouth much to drink from a bottle, and Tome was usually busy looking elsewhere when the little guy yawned. "We'll find out if he bites, I guess."


"He's got little beginning teeth, if he's growing at the right rate." The woman said from her corner of the room. "They aren't too sharp, but he can bite down rather hard if he feels like it. He shouldn't, but its always best to air on the side of caution when dealing with dragons."


A flurry of green came flying through one of the windows and Tome jerked a little, his hand moving away from Joachim, to look. It was a small dragon, hardly bigger than little Joachim, and it landed easily on the woman's shoulder, both of them acting as if it had happened hundreds of times before - it probably had. Joachim whined, so Tome gave the baby his hand back, but looked over when he heard another voice.


"Oooh, a new one, Li!" The green dragon was perched anxiously on her shoulder, shifting a little and looking between what she was doing and Joachim.


Tome's mouth dropped a bit open when he realized where the voice was coming from.
 
Mia had looked back at the lady when she had spoken. So he did have teeth! Way faster than human babies. Usually they started to develop them when they were 3 or 4 months old and the first tooth appeared when they were about 5 to 9 months old, it depended. It sure was something else. Of course, a dragon was not a human baby. Guessed those things didn't apply for them at all.


When the dragon flew in, she realized she had been staring at the lady all along and was meaning to turn her head back. When the dragon spoke though, her eyes widened. Could... Could dragons speak!? She quickly turned her head to look at Tome and found he seemed to be as surprised as her. So it was not normal!
 
After the long pause of silence, and Joachim's continued but mostly unnoticed whining about not having more food to lick at, the woman at the table finally looked up. She stopped, looking at them both, then glanced at the dragon on her shoulder and made a sort of 'oh, that' face, then smiled. "Oh, Ari dear, I believe we've startled them. Forgive me. We're so used to these sorts of things here that we don't tend to think of outsiders as knowing less." She gestured to the dragon on her shoulder, then at the two with the baby. "This is Arius. Arius, these are our new friends."


Arius gave a little head dip that could've been a bow. "Charmed, I'm sure. And what are their names?"


The woman paused, looking surprised again, and her smile turned a bit apologetic. "Oh, excuse me. I've been rude, haven't I? Children?"


Tome paused, glancing at Mia, then just swallowed and made his throat work again, refocusing long enough to continue feeding Joachim. "This is Mia. My name is Tome. And the hatchling Joachim."


Arius hopped off the woman's shoulder, and Tome tried to ignore the sort of far-off look in her eyes when she looked at him again, in favor of resolutely not flinching as Arius landed on his shoulder, looking down at Mia's bundle of scales. "A big name for such a little one. I like it!" He made a pleased rumble and folded his wings against his sides. "I am Arius, and Malia is one of our humble matriarch's here at the Dragonry. Pleased to meet you."


Tome nodded a little, but was still trying to take everything in. "Pleased to be here. . ." Malia. It sounded vaguely familiar, but he just couldn't pin it down.


((Mah-lee-ah, or Mah-lee-uh, I guess))
 
"Delighted" Mia replied. Still she found it strange. She was talking to a dragon. Her gaze went back to Malia just to blink at the look on her face. There was a hint of something... something she couldn't quite wrap her head around.


(Sorry! Couldn't really think of anything else ><)
 
Malia smiled again, suddenly, and walked over to check the bowl, finding it empty. "That's a good little one." She said, fondly, and took the bowl to set in a sink, presumably to be washed later. "A good appetite is a good sign. Now, I've got a bit of work to tend to, but while I do that, Arius can show you where you'll be staying. Won't you, darling?"


The little green dragon lifted his head, proud, and nodded. "Of course!" He patted a paw on Tome's shoulder, then pointed ahead with it. "Walk that way, tall one."


Tome glared at him dryly, then just shook his head and started walking, a hand going to Mia's arm to rest gently there and guide her along. He didn't want to accidentally leave her behind again, even by a few steps.
 
This time Mia was not surprised by his touch and instead, as if was the most natural thing in the world, allowed for him to guide her. She took her time to admire the surroundings again. It was strange, but she kind of felt like in a dream. To think that... To think that she'd have never seen herself there a couple of months ago.


She lifted her head a little and her eyes got locked on Tome. Being it that she had gotten near him because of a stupid reason such as getting revenge, she was happy she had done so. Most of all, she felt absolutely grateful that he had rescued her even when he knew she had betrayed him. She was starting to understand it, she had started to differentiate the mere gratefulness she had felt some time ago to what she had been starting to feel lately. It had gradually changed, grown and had been developing.


Somehow she knew how she felt, but in a way she didn't. It was a bit confusing and though people said feeling were not about thinking but about feeling. Naming them when you were not used to feel them could be quite difficult. Her eyes softened and her cheeks flushed lightly. A faint color. Yeah... she was not just thankful anymore.
 
Tome begrudgingly allowed Arius to point him in the right direction, and they were finally led to a building that looked like any other home. It was more like a boarding house inside, though, with many rooms and eclectic decorations. They were led to a room with two beds and little furniture, that looked for the most part unoccupied.


"I suppose you have luggage," Arius said, once they were inside. "We'll have it brought up later on, if you haven't any need of it now, but the priority is Joachim."


Tome looked at the baby dragon, lying happily in Mia's arms and looking around with wide, curious eyes. "I suppose it will be for a long time to come. . ."
 
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