Vestige

Vestige: The Past

v. 01 - Bene qui latuit, bene vixit (One who lives well, lives unnoticed.)

Shrill screams filled the shrine halls pulling the inhabitants from their slumber. A blue haired male was the first to awaken, looking over at his three little children that stared up at him wide eyed. He gave them an assuring smile and ran out of the room going past a raven haired female. She watched him break down the door of the last room at the end of the hall. The screaming got louder without the door to muffle the sounds from inside the room.

“Mallory,” he called out the name of the shivering, crying form on the floor but the screams did not cease. He looked around the marble room trying to find the one who usually got Mallory to calm down but he couldn’t see the little boy anywhere in the room. Cursing he got to his feet and ran down the shrine hall again ignoring his children as they called out to him. He searched the fire lit steps of the shrine but no one was there. He looked at the tree tops but only leaves greeted his blue eyes. The screams suddenly ceased and the blue eyed male looked back at the shrine wondering what could’ve ended the cries. He walked back trying not to show his curiosity too much. In the room he found his own son soothing the white haired male by running his fingers through his hair and whispering in soft Latin. He couldn’t hear what the boy said but whatever it was it had gotten Mallory to stop screaming.

“Sleep in here tonight Julius, I have to go search for Augustus,” Julius nodded his royal blue head and looked at his father make his exit out of the corner of his matching eyes.

“Kilian,” the female in the hall way stopped him taking his hand timidly and looked down at the floor, “I… I….” She looked like she had something important to say but couldn’t find the words.

“Aiko I have to go find the boy who knows where he ran off to this time,” Kilian seemed impatient and annoyed with Aiko’s halting him. She let go of his hand and stepped back allowing him to walk away. Her hands went onto her belly as she looked over at Kilian’s blind oldest son and his beautiful little daughter. The girl was just barely five as was her twin left behind in Mallory’s bedroom. The girl guided her older brother back to bed and Aiko disappeared into her own room crying herself back to sleep.

It wasn’t till early the next morning that Kilian returned with Augustus and everyone was made aware of the arrival for the loud crying Augustus did over Kilian’s scolding him. Mallory stood up with a sleeping Julius in his arms when he heard the ruckus and ran out the greet his son. He kneeled down in front of the blind child and pulled him to him with one arm while still holding Julius.

“Did you have fun in the village?” Mallory had known all along where his son was and this made Kilian open his mouth to yell but his daughter chose that moment to run out and put her arms around his leg. Kilian noticed right away the gold bangles on her arms, the golden circlet and how her slightly curly hair was styled to perfection. He looked over at the doorway of his bedroom seeing Aiko leaning against the door dressed in a tight white gown with just as many bangles as the little girl on her own arms. Her hair was pinned up messily by gold chopsticks and she looked just radiant.

“I’ve dressed Kisho as well,” the mentioned boy peeked his head out from beside Aiko’s leg showing a blush on his cheeks, “Julia told him he looks like a girl now he wants to change.”

“Let your father see you Kisho,” the boy shook his head no making his long midnight blue locks fall in front of his face, “It can’t be that bad.” Kisho pouted but stepped out from behind Aiko putting his arms out so his father could see what he wore clearly. It was a long white kimono, with a blue obi around his waist, that slit at the sides so the sandals he wore could be seen with their laces tying around his pudgy legs. Three golden bands were put in his hair that still looked as usual wild. Two gold cuffs were placed on each of his wrists and Kilian could see that it was true, Kisho looked like a girl.

“Now come Julius time for you to dress who knows when our new friend shall arrive.” Kilian could only imagine what Aiko would dress Julius in, he seemed to be Aiko’s favorite of his children… her favorite to tease. Being that Julius was exactly identical to Julia he knew today he would have a hard time of telling them apart for Aiko would surely dress him in the same outfit Julia wore. The sleepy eyed Julius went over to Aiko putting his hand out for her to take and letting her guide him into the room.

“What do I gets to wear?” Augustus, the youngest of all the children, brought the attention back to himself.

“What’s wrong with what you wear now?”

“Mallory he’s covered in dirt,” Kilian could see Mallory didn’t care and sighed, “Come Augustus you need to bathe.”

“Do I have to Daddy?” Augustus clearly disliked Kilian but the water element didn’t budge even when the child glared at him.

“Wow Kilian is right you are covered in dirt,” Mallory seemed to have just noticed and rubbed at his gray eyes, “We go give you a bath… la la la la.” Mallory took Augustus’ hand and the two walked away ‘la la laing’ the entire time.

“Nut cases,” Kilian rolled his eyes and went into his bedroom looking over at Aiko as she was trying to put Julius’ hair up but the boy was whimpering and batting her hand away. Kilian went to stand in front of Julius making the boy stare up at him and Julius pouted knowing his father would let Aiko make him look like a girl. He crossed his arms over his tiny chest putting a full force pout but still he was dressed the way Aiko wanted him dressed. Without any concern for Aiko’s presence in the room Kilian turned to change. He let his bed shirt fall on the floor exposing himself completely to the eyes in the room. The children didn’t care as they knew nothing of sex appeal at their tender ages and had many times seen their father nude. Julius hoped to one day look like his father with all those strong muscles but he didn’t think anything impure of it. Aiko was the only wishing Kilian were in her bed at the moment but Kilian wasn’t paying her any mind. He gathered up his curly royal blue hair and twirled it into a bun sticking a hair pin in it to keep it up. He grabbed his outfit, an open back pale blue robe, and slid his body into it looking over at Aiko to come help him tie the back laces. She did so quickly hoping Kilian couldn’t see the blush she wore. He mumbled a thank you and then let his hair fall back out cascading down to caress the floor with it’s immense length. Not even Aiko had hair that long and she was much older than he was. Kilian had not cut his hair a single day in his life and it was very apparent. His children were the same way which had made it take Aiko a very long time to tame their manes. Kisho’s had been the easiest since he had no curls like the twins.

“He’s here,” Augustus came running down the halls bare ass to make the announcement and Mallory was chasing after him his clothes soaking wet. Mallory lost his footing and went falling forward landing in a pair of strong arms. He looked up into a pair of green eyes and gulped taking a step back. He almost tripped again so the man chuckled and kept an arm around Mallory’s waist.

“You didn’t have to put on all that make up just for my arrival.”

“What make-up?” Mallory looked confused and the others watching covered their mouths trying not to laugh.

“It’s not make-up, Mallory hasn’t slept in over two hundred years,” the brown haired male looked down at the man he still held in surprise, “it has an effect on your eyes. Welcome to the element guardian team, I am Kilian Aqua the guardian of water.”

“Carcer Terra the newly appointed guardian of earth,” Kilian and Carcer shook hands both grinning at one another when they felt how strong the other’s grip was. Kilian was thinking he’d finally have a sparring partner and Carcer was thinking he’d love to whip the water guardian’s ass. Mallory took hold of Carcer’s face in his hands and to Kilian and Aiko’s horror planted a big kiss on the earth guardian’s lips. Carcer’s eyes remained wide as Mallory kissed him but he didn’t push away the smaller male in fact he pulled him closer.

“Welcome to our family,” Mallory was a bit out of breath as he spoke, “I’m Mallory Herring the guardian of wind.” A bit of wind swirled up Mallory’s hair and he giggled not noticing the way people were looking at him.

“Mallory why did you kiss Carcer?”

“His thoughts told me to,” Carcer looked down and blushed while Mallory scratched the back of his head, “You wanted me to, right?”

“Mallory you’re not supposed to do things just because people voice in their thoughts that they want you to.” Kilian scolded the wind element who just continued to scratch his head showing he didn’t understand.

“It’s all right she just caught me off guard,” Carcer shrugged off the invasion of personal space, “Now I know to keep mind barriers up whenever she’s around so that something like that won’t happen again.”

“She?” Mallory looked at Carcer in utter confusion and Kilian gave an annoyed sigh.

“Mallory’s a man,” Carcer’s eyes went wider than seemed possible as he stared at Mallory with his jaw hanging open.

“Daddy,” Augustus stood with his hands on his hips a deep pout set on his face. Carcer looked over to him, eyes still wide then back at Mallory who smiled at the little boy and bounced over to him.

“The moon’s out,” Mallory spoke in a singsong voice as he turned Augustus around and they headed into his room, Carcer still watching them.

“A lot of people initially think he’s a girl when they first meet him because of his feminine looks and the voice to match. It doesn’t help that he acts like one as well,” Aiko smacked the back of Kilian’s head at the comment and pushed the three other children forward to meet Carcer.

“These are Kilian’s children all elements in training.”

“What beautiful little girls,” both Kisho and Julius crossed their arms over their chests and gave small growls. Kilian laughed nervously as he looked down at his kids then up at Carcer.

“Actually only one is a girl,” Julia stepped forward and gave a little giggle, “My daughter Julia is the strongest of the bunch and has already shown her ice powers are out of this world. Julius is her twin brother and Kisho, a wind element, is my eldest. He’s blind but has already learned in his short seven years to overcome his disability and make it an advantage.” Julius looked sadly up at his father and without anyone even noticing slinked away to Mallory’s room. He had been introduced as an afterthought and he could see that Carcer was more intrigued with Kisho and Julia’s powers than he was about a boy who didn’t even know what his were yet. Mallory looked up from dressing Augustus when he sensed Julius enter the room and smiled wide at the boy.

“Thought you were a girl too didn’t he?” Julius nodded his head and Mallory tittered, “We’re two in the same Jules, androgynous and misunderstood.”

“Julius I saw this pretty waterfall when I was aways wants to go?” Augustus’ excited voice broke over the two as he hopped off the bed now fully dressed in a white tunic and leggings.

“Ah ah if you go somewhere I come too,” Mallory interjected and then looked at Julius waiting for a response. Julius smiled gleefully and stripped off the top layer of the kimono Aiko had put on him dropping it on the floor. He let his hair down and then nodded his head putting his hand out to Mallory who smiled and teleported with the two boys.

Hours later Augustus, Mallory and Julius returned to the shrine all soaking wet with Julius trying to shush the two Herring’s. He knew he would get scolded for getting back home after sun down but he had been having so much fun that he didn’t realize how quickly time had passed. He let out a gasp as he was pulled back by his long hair and craned his head back to stare up at his father’s enraged face. He gulped as he could smell alcohol on his father’s breath. Kilian had been out into the town of Prima Orbus to drink with Carcer and Aiko. Mallory opened his mouth to make an excuse for their late arrival but only a sound of surprise came out as he saw Kilian slap Julius hard enough to make him slam into a wall. Julius started crying immediately as he watched Kilian approach him and tensed up waiting for the blows that would be dealt. A blur of white passed before his vision and Kilian was tackled down with two resounding groans.

“What is wrong with you?! Beating on a defenseless child! You should be ashamed of yourself!” Mallory was sat over Kilian giving him a tongue lashing and then slapping him hard across the face, “Julius and the other children will stay with me till you regain your senses. Beating a child is wrong.”

“You have no right to tell me how to raise my children. Look at your little brat running around doing as he pleases,” Augustus shrunk back under Kilian’s gaze, “Release me now Mallory or I will discipline you as well.”

“I’m not afraid of you Kilian, I know your lies. You’re weak,” before Mallory could say any more Kilian threw him off of him and stood up, Mallory balled himself up as Kilian began kicking him in the side. He gave small screams of pain and kept his arms over his head as Kilian tried to inflict maximum damage. He was yanked up from the floor by his shoulders and slammed into the wall. Kilian pressed his body against Mallory’s, panting from the excursion and nuzzling Mallory’s neck as the wind element shivered.

“You’re mine, don’t forget it,” Mallory gulped and looked at Julius and Augustus who watched the two of them.

“Julius go into your room and take Augustus with you,” Julius was hesitant to move but under Mallory’s pleading gaze he did what was asked of him. Once Julius and Augustus were out of sight Mallory put his arms and legs around Kilian biting on his lip to keep from making any sounds of repulsion as Kilian began to grind against him. “Heal me Kilian or I won’t be able to withstand your desire.” Kilian nodded his head and blue glow came from his body that caressed all over Mallory’s form making him almost forget he was disgusted by the water element. He held back his repulsion as Kilian carried him to his own room and deposited him on the bed. Mallory never noticed that Carcer had been watching or that the earth element came to spy on them.

Kilian with all the gracefulness of a drunk peeled off Mallory’s robes and started roughly passing his hands over Mallory’s body. Mallory looked away not wanting to see what Kilian was doing.

“I had this vision last night, you were going to kill Julius with how badly you intended to beat him but I know the things that distract you. It’s all right to hurt me I don’t matter,” Mallory bite down on his lip hard enough to draw blood as Kilian entered him without preparing him for it. Carcer watching them remained wide eyed with his fists clenched, he wanted to kill Kilian more than anything. His green eyes saw the trail of tears that fell from Mallory’s eyes and blood lust began in him. Lust for Kilian’s blood. He knew he would always hate Kilian now even though he had only met the man that same day. This could never be undone and Carcer would never forgive him for what he was doing to Mallory.