A Home of my Own (OPEN)

[Erlina Blomgren]

Another door slammed in her face. The girl stood sadly, holding only but a small arrangement of flowers in one hand. Looking down at them, she pondered as she walked away from the doorstep. House after house she knocked on their doors, asking them to buy her flowers. She had heard that this was very effective, but so far she hasn't sold one. Even the town guardsmen were called after her, as she might've been seen as harassing the villagers. Still, she persisted. Eventually, the sun came down over the horizon, the day was over and she sold only one.

Looking down yet again at her sad, withering bouquet, she decided that she must return home for the night. The stars dotted the sky as she walked, down the lonely streets of the residential area. But none of these houses were one she was able to call home. Not even the ones the outcasts lived in.

No, where she lived was somewhat far from the area. In fact it bordered the forest, in a small, makeshift hut she made for herself. It was still holding up, although just barely. Smiling, she looked fondly at her home. This was the place she currently lived, practically in the middle of nowhere but she liked it. This was the place she could sleep safely at night without having to worry about any danger.

Or so she thought. Upon returning, she noticed that there had been something that ran over the small garden she planted. Kneeling down, she looked on frightfully at the damage that was caused. "The flowers..." she murmured before looking up. Coming eye to eye she was faced with a wolf. Not just one however, but unknowingly she was surrounded. The others hid in the shadows beyond the trees.

Immediately dropping the flowers she had in her hand, she stared wide-eyed at the creature, slowly backing away on the snowy earth. Oh gods... Was this going to be the end for her? Her eye cast to the side. There was no one around but shouldn't she call for help?

"Someone..." She shook in place, still looking at the wolf that appeared ready to strike. "Someone please help!" That was when the wolf leapt toward her, aiming toward her neck as she covered herself with her arms, bracing herself.

[Magnus Einson]

Magnus was getting used to things.

It was a little weird no longer being a street urchin - in fact he still hadn’t fully grasped that the white weimic, Ein, had taken him in. He was happier, though. No longer did he look like he’d crawled out of the mud, instead he was warmly dressed, and very clean.

That was what felt weird.

He’d never looked as well as he did, even as the “son” of an innkeeper. He hadn’t cared enough to keep him cleaned normally or buy him proper clothes. But now? He looked like a proper boy and he doubted the man would recognize him if he even tried.

He’d been out exploring that day - playing near the woods more properly. But with the sun setting he knew he should be getting home. Home. What an odd notion, he had a home now. And a real parent to come home too.

He’d been deep in that thought when he heard a scream. Almost immediately he was rushing over. Perhaps hoping to help the person who screamed out of bravery. Or maybe out of recklessness.

Either way - he made it just in time to see a wolf, lunging for a girl. Yeah, fat chance. Quickly he made one swing of his axe, lodging it deep into the fur before the creature could connect with her. “Jeesh, what did you do to get a wolf pack on you?” He asked after ripping the axe out of the one. He could see the others. But they promptly scattered - maybe he’d killed the alpha, he didn’t know or care. But he was careful to keep the blood from his newly purchased clothes. He wiped the blood onto the grass. “Lucky that scared them off. They can be really nasty when they attack in a group. Know that from experience.”

[Erlina Blomgren]

Just as she thought she was done for, there was nothing. Save for the splatter of blood that fell onto her arm. Slowly bringing it down and looking what happened ahead of her, was a boy not much younger than her... and an axe that was buried into its fur. Frightened by the horrific scene she gave another ear-curdling scream, backing away from the sight of death as much as she could. Though it wasn't far, for she still stared with one blue eye. Despite the fact it was she who was attacked, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the wolf... There had to be some other way, wasn't there?

Still scared, she looked up to him, realizing that he had asked her a question. But it took her a moment to snap out of her frightful state. Erlina looked back down onto the dead, poor, wolf. "I... I don't know," she admitted, still feeling sorry for the creature. "First I was just coming home and then..." It was odd really, she wasn't sure why a wolf had come, nevertheless an entire pack. Maybe this was their part of the woods, but she swore she would be safe here. This never happened before...

Her gaze broke from the corpse and back to him once more. "I suppose I should thank you..." she said, but her eye still widened as it laid on the axe he held. The blood that dripped off of it was terrifying, almost out of instinct she thought that she might be next. "You've been attacked before?" She asked with some concern. Then she shook her head, regretting the question. "Forgive me, it is an impolite thing to ask."

Slowly, she tried to get back onto her feet, however with shaky legs. "I'm Erlina," she introduced herself. "And this is... was... my garden." Her eye stared at the slightly trampled flower patch. "Oh the flowers... just what am I going to do?" Her eye turned to him, almost as if she hoped he might have an answer.

[Magnus Einson]

Magnus didn’t get her worried look.

He was always the opposite with violence - probably because he’d been brought up by an abusive guardian. Blood and death didn’t bother him as much as others since he’d seen and experienced so much. “Course I have. Don’t let my appearance fool you I’ve been on my own traveling for a long time,” he then added. “I’ve just come to live with a kind Wemic in town who’s adopted me as his own. So now I don’t have the same urchiiny look I did.”

Flowers? Really? She was worried about flowers and she seemed to sympathize with a wolf. This girl was strange and that was just saying the least but Magnus was always one to try and be nice. “Magnus Einson,” He managed his new name, putting it out there often so no one who knew his old guardian heard Magnus and went looking. That described him as the son of Ein after all. “I’m sure you can grow more flowers can’t you?”

[Erlina Blomgren]

"I... I see," she mumbled, looking on at him with a rather dumbfounded expression. Still, he looked like a young boy to her, and one that probably shouldn't be using that axe. But it saved her, and without it, well, she might have ended up in the jaws of that wolf. "A pleasure to meet you, Magnus," she nodded her head in greeting, wondering who would be nice enough to take him in. Adoption... Erlina really never considered that option. In fact she might've heard of an orphanage somewhere, but never seen one. That was, assuming he did come from one.

She looked on at the flowers. It took her a while to grow them. Despite the fact that spring was on its way, or might have already been here, the weather conditions were still not enough to supplement the already trampled ones. Fortunately there were only a few more left. Though, she would have to go back to the gardens to steal a few. "I can, but..." she stared down at them sadly before returning her attention to him. "I don't want to take any more flowers that don't belong to me." She shook her head in disgust, turning away from him with regret. "I'm sorry. It's just that I can't afford to buy any more, let alone a piece of bread..."

Erlina tapped at the ground below her with the tip of her shoe. She felt really embarrassed for letting him see this place. This was her one and only home. Her gaze slowly met back to him after a moment. "Maybe this was the gods' doing," she then spoke, a tinge of hope in her voice. "Maybe this was supposed to happen. They sent the wolves and sent you to me... this must mean something right?"

[Magnus Einson]

Magnus smirked.

He was sure that it was a little weird. Hearing of a human who now had a Wemic for a father. Especially when the races had boiled blood between them in general. “A strange prospect, I know. We’d met me before but one day I was in his home during... Well unsavory things. And he found me starving,” he explained. “It’s odd what happened then. Next thing I know I have a place to come home to. And a feeling of security I’m forever grateful for. Even though we share our home with so many cats.”

Huh, he could definitely empathize with not being able to afford things like flowers or even bread. He had of course been the one starving and found in such a state. “I’m sorry, I can sympathize.” He Noted honestly. “But my money is no longer simply my own. And I don’t have much of it. Most of our funds are with the man I now know as my father.”

When she mentioned the gods he again frowned a little in thought. “I don’t know, I haven’t entirely decided if I believe in the Gods yet,” he admitted politely. “Though Ein thinks I should.”