If only Erebos knew the dark dreams that Adelric had. Though his needle seemed to imply that he would be a doctor, a mender, a follower of d’Artagnan and Lena, there was much more in his twisted mind. He dreamed of surgeries- of removing portions of living creatures to catalogue how they reacted. He wondered about sewing those portions onto others, to see if they would remain living. Some nights he dreamed of opening an abdomen, and seeing what was inside and how it worked. Or perhaps a chest, so that he might see the beating heart within. He could feel his own, pounding with excitement at the very ideas, but he dare not speak them. Part of him, the timid and curious part, still feels that Erebos would abandon him if the dark prince knew what evils lay within his mind. He is no mender at all, but a Dr. Mengele dreaming of twisted experiments on unwilling participants.

“It seems so,” he responds as Tobias croons in enjoyment at the dark prince’s touch. White, the cervid thinks, and Adelric nods his head as his eyes glance to the hair in the cerndyr’s antlers. It seems it is a matter for another moment, though, as Erebos inches forward. Craning his neck out, the half-child listens to the prince’s whisper with eager ears. A smile even graces his normally neutral face- excitement for the deserving gift that has been bestowed upon his friend. “Yes!” he whispers back, before jerking his head up in surprise. The appearance and voice of another, an unwelcome intruder on their meeting, has surprised him.

“Talking,” the half-child says dryly, his smile faded- not for any inherent dislike of the stallion, but rather because he is reserved around those he does not yet know. Besides, talking is a perfectly legitimate answer, in his mind. “It is for sewing flesh,” he states then, his mind already trying to direct the needle back into the pouch from whence it came. The motion is clumsy, unpracticed even, but eventually the half-child manages to conceal it once more. Picking it up with his lips, he then laces the string around one of Tobias’ antlers, letting it dangle there for safe keeping. Finally, he waits for the prince to take the lead, drawing his cues from the braver boy that he thinks so fondly of.

Is this newcomer to be friend, or foe?

Adelric

We only have what we give.