Fanfic Time: My Baby Now (4)

The surface world was bright, and hurt his eyes. Kosh quickly noticed and begged sunglasses to ease Aldiirn's difficulty with the light. There had been perfumed baths, and fresh clothes, and food that Kosh dutifully tasted to ease Aldiirn's fears. And a lot of the grownups talking behind closed doors. Aldiirn was allowed to take his own peace, often playing music, under the watchful eye of unarmed guards.

He got used to concepts like dawn, or dusk, and definitely preferred bedtime. These people let him sleep. A relief from the expectations of the Underdark.

Finally, after three days as a guest of Lord Vallaster, they were going to the place where Kosh was living. A set of apartments above a tavern that he apparently had a hand in running.

Inside the front door was a common room of sorts, where three Humans, a Dragonborn, a Kobold, and an Aarakokra were attempting to plan something.

Aldiirn tried to hide behind Kosh's leg, clinging to both flute and hakama.

The tall Human with no hair and pitch-black eyes said, "Of fucking course he turns up like a stray cat."

The sole female Human in the cluster said, "Kosh? What have you got there?"

He gestured with his carry-cup of beverage, obtained further up the street. "A cider."

"The other hand," said the Kobold with a shockingly deep voice.

"Oh. This is Aldiirn. My ward. I picked him up on my way back up top." Kosh introduced each of them. Mavis, the tall black-eyed Barbarian. Kim, the softly-spoken Warlock who actually had a god on her side. The Kobold, Kelvin; the Aarakocra Druid, Cumulous; and the Dragonborn Fighter, Soola. And the third Human was the Viscount Spitebane Fortitude Bullwark Whitekeep, third of his name, trueborn son of the Earl Valiant Stormwight Hallowfine Whitekeep and his consort Emmalaina Diamante Velvet Whitekeep. "There's assorted titles, but he's the ass you've heard so much about."

"...hey," said Spitebane. "That's not fair."

"You say that so often," said Kim. "I wonder what your basis for comparison is."

Spitebane said, "Did you see any hint of the Marchess?"

Kosh didn't answer directly. He said, "She is lost to you." He lead Aldiirn on through the building. Up two flights of stairs to a narrow attic room that was almost entirely bare. The curtains blocked the view of the street below, and the floor was very clean.

"I never decorated because I never expected to stay. It's still early, so I'll get you a cot. Would you like to come pick one out?" He set up his meditation mat in a less defensible corner than the one furthest from the door. He hung the rest of his pack on a hook on the wall, and knelt by a calligraphy kit that had been left by the window. "But before we go anywhere else... Official paperwork."

Aldiirn watched, fascinated, as Kosh busied himself with brushes and inkstones in the Elven way, but wrote in the Common Tongue. First, a notice of confiscation and change of custody, declaring Aldiirn of the Underdark to be a neglected and abandoned child. Custodium per Victorium turned up in the paragraphs, as did the phrase in loco parentis. Apparently, there was a Viscount Kormwind Arachis Felbourne Whitekeep, ninth of the name, who granted custody of Aldiirn to the Adventurer known as Kochis "Kosh" Shaydden, resident of Trollhead Manor, Waterdeep.

He signed it as Kormwind Arachis Felbourne Whitekeep IX. With some wax that he pressed a ring into at the bottom.

The adoption papers were similar, with Kosh signing two names instead of one. The first, Kochis Shaydden, the second was the much more florid name and more florid writing.

Aldiirn was shaking as he followed Kosh downstairs to get both documents countersigned by the Viscount Spitebane.

The Dragonborn was still hanging around, interrogating Spitebane about what had happened.

"And then she punched me right into the chocolate fountain," said Spitebane. "That was the last I saw of her."

"I mean, on one hand, good for her. On the other... you could have fucking killed her, making her run into the Underdark just to get the fuck away from you." The Dragonborn noticed them both. "Oh hey. What's this?"

"Gekommen sie, you've met Aldiirn."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you pulled that twice. The other hand."

"Just some paperwork. If you care to countersign, your lordship."

Spitebane quickly read both papers. "Oh gods, you're serious."

"As the grave. Sign it."

By then, Soola was reading it too. "Is this entirely legal?"

"Oh ja. All the way legal. Recognised in Waterdeep and Whitekeep and a decent half of Faerune."

Her next question was, "Who the fuck is Kormwind blah-de-yaddah Whitekeep?"

Kosh must have grinned, because he made sure Aldiirn couldn't see it. "Can you keep a secret?"

Suspicious glare. "Yeah...?"

"So can I." Kosh gathered the countersigned paperwork and left the residence. Cackling all the way. There was a stop to send off the official notice, and another stop to register the adoption papers, and then it was off to see who could offer what, and which ones Aldiirn liked.

Aldiirn held fast to Kosh's hand, clutching his flute tight against his chest with his other hand. Nobody around them seemed wont to jostle them or collide with them. Nobody went out of their way to trip Aldiirn nor throw anything at him.

They might have been too busy sneering at Kosh. Keeping their distance from Kosh. Maybe they didn't even see Aldiirn.

He let himself look around instead of down. Making direct eye contact in the Underdark was the sure and certain method to start a fight, and he was guaranteed to lose those. Nobody started anything because Aldiirn was looking at them. Or into their shops, for that matter. Whatever laid behind the glass was often fancy, colourful, and pretty.

How could people ignore it all?

The furnishings shop had displays of decorations set out like some fancy lord's plaything. It seemed like a waste. And on the other hand.... The purple bedclothes looked very nice. There was even a shiny velvet blanket that tempted Aldiirn into touching it.

If he touched anything, he knew, he'd ruin it.

Kosh seemed to notice. "That's a pretty colour, don't you think? It looks soft and warm."

Was he taunting Aldiirn? Was this the inevitable betrayal? Aldiirn stayed still.

"I see. If you like anything, it gets taken from you," said Kosh. "Or it gets ruined in front of you."

How did he--?

"They used to do the same to me," he said. "I refuse to play that game. I believe every child deserves good care, and I will put my last penny to that belief. So point out what you like, and I'll see what I can do."

He picked out a small bed, low to the ground, that had drawers under the mattress. And the purple velvet blanket. There were pillows and sheets and nightclothing, and new shoes. And, because Aldiirn lingered, staring, at a display, a Raggy Man doll with yarn hair.

Kosh did ask which one Aldiirn liked, pointing out a neighbour that looked more like a Drow. Aldiirn pointed his flute to the more Human-looking one, with the bright red yarn for hair and the bright red circles neighbouring its smile. It was so ridiculous that it made Aldiirn smile.

That, and the Drow one had a permanent frown.

He didn't want a toy that was always angry with him.

Kosh didn't mind if Aldiirn chose not to talk. He asked questions and patiently waited for answers. He taught things so gently, sometimes working on an idea from several angles until it got into Aldiirn's head.

Life was good.

For two weeks.