Chapter 2 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2
	
The female looked up from her newborn son at the mage who had helped her give birth to her son. She smiled at him as she looked back down at the small baby within her arms wrapped in cloth. She looked down into the light blue eyes of her son. The mage who wore the green robes of healing was still at work checking the vitals of both the mother and the child as he ran his tendrils over the baby boy he felt the seal of Soiki Zrion within the boy. It was a seal that was too complex for the healing mage to decipher. 
	

“You two are free to come and stay at the tower. We have enough room. Your son might even become a mage someday.” The mage said his eyes seeming to brighten up for being able to bring this child to the tower. 
	

Then the female would look up at the mage slowly. “No, we will not become some of your puppets. I will raise this child on my own.” She said as she looked up at the mage like a mama bear.
	

“But you live in a shack with no money, no clothing, and no means of protection.” The mage replied slightly taken off by the response he had been given by a mother from the poorest parts of the city. He would never understand what drove women to be so protective of their children, but maybe it was better that way her thought to himself. Just then he smiled and shook his head and turned to start to walk out of her home.
	

She watched him leave with a smile on his face not fully understanding what would drive the mage to have such a dramatic change of heart, but she wasn’t about to question her good luck now. As she watched him leave she turned to look back down at her newborn son again.
	

Just then the large man would step into the small house. He was as thick as he was tall. His head was bald; his beard was thick and long. He then laughed a loud booming laugh as he crossed the distance to stand next to the small woman. His round belly shaking as he dropped to a crouch to peer into her eyes with his own brown hues.
	

“My lassie you sure do know how to make a beautiful child.” He said in a strong kind hearted voice as he reached his large hand to brush his finger across her cheek.


She blushed as he looked down at the baby then back at the old cook from the tavern she had been working at. He was maybe the only man that lived in the city of Durian who had been kind to her while she was going through her pregnancy without the father. 


The cook would then sigh as she looked down at the baby then at the woman he had grown to know as nothing less than his daughter. “You two can’t stay here.” He said to the woman as he stood up and paced across the room.
	

The girl looked at him awestruck as she watched him pacing. “What do you mean?” She asked as she was almost ready to break down and cry. She shifted her son and put him into the small crib Brock had given her when he had learned she was with child.
	

Brock looked at her and frowned slightly. “I mean if you raise your child he will either become a thief or worse, and we both know you don’t want that.” He said as he took a deep breath. “I have some friends in Pendin that are willing to let you live with them till you are able to work again. Pendin is a good place for him, at least there he won’t be judged by his parent’s money. He will be judged by his character, which if he is anything like you he will be damn near nobility.” The large male chuckled as he finished the sentence. 
	

The girl then jumped out of the bed and tackled the large man into a warm embrace, tears flooding out of her eyes as she held onto him. This was the chance she needed so she could raise her son to be someone. “Thank you.” She whispered into his ear as she clung onto him.
	

The man held her in his thick arms as he felt himself almost crying also. He wouldn’t shed a tear not now. 
	

The two stood there holding each other for some time for these would be the last days they would ever see of each other. 
	

The young female looked back at the male Brock and smiled as she climbed up into the wagon with her son wrapped in blankets. As she settled herself into the seat next to the driver of the wagon she saw Brock making his way over to her. She looked at the large man who was wearing his usual cook attire but was wearing a chef hat for the first time in years.
	

“What did you name him?” The large cook asked.
	

“Casten.” She said as she smiled looking down at her son.
	

“Casten Shidou eh?” The cook asked as he smiled at her. “It has a good ring to it. I know he will make the name one of legends. He has the eyes of a hero.” Brock said as he bowed his head and turned walking away.
	

The driver looked at her and smiled kindly. “Miss I didn’t catch you name.” He asked as he snapped the reigns making the wagon start to move forward.


“My name is Aria Shidou.” She said as she smiled at the man as they started their journey to Pendin