With their discussion finished and tied in a neat little bow, Vaeri offered Carmilla to join them downstairs for breakfast. The woman was strangely insistent, concerned for the amount of time that Carmilla's body continuously slept without the right nutrients.
They met with Niana halfway down the stairs. This time, she tightly held the rune in her hand. There was a deep frown on her face when she faced her mother. Vaeri was right. Niana did catch on to Vaeri's scheming. Although, outside of that nasty look, she didn't say anything more.
Carmilla didn't know what to do with herself in that situation. Seeing how annoyed Niana looked reminded her of the times she caught her parents doing things that they say would benefit her future behind her back. She didn't appreciate their lack of consideration on her part.
This was different though, because this time, she was on the other side of the look. Carmilla didn't understand what that meant for her character.
Just as quickly as she frowned, Niana brightly smiled as her eyes locked with Carmilla's.
"I found it! Can you understand me now?" Her voice was bright and full of life. There was so much energy in a small body.
Carmilla nodded politely and replied, "Yes. What was it that you wanted to tell me earlier?"
Vaeri giggled. She squeezed through the small space of the stairwell to walk toward the kitchen. "I'll prepare the table. I'll call when I'm done, alright?"
"Uhh, sure..."
Niana perked up, that veiled annoyance from earlier was now gone. "Okay, Mama!" She grabbed Carmilla's hand, and with surprising strength from a child, dragged the woman toward the living room.
She was pushed to the couch made of wood, blanketed with the warm pelt of what looked like a bear. Carmilla watched Niana sprint around, carrying multiple objects that she gave to her one by one. It was an adorable sight.
Niana handed her a doll, a rune, and some sort of chisel. It was a weird looking chisel, thinner than what she was familiar with. It resembled that of a pen.
"My name is Niana. I think you already know that from Mama. What's your name? You look really pretty!"
Carmilla felt the slow rise of heat on her cheeks. Sure, she often received compliments as someone who was well-respected in her field. Unfortunately, they were often sweet honey laced with intentions that had nothing to do with her.
She cleared her throat and stiffly offered her hand to the child as she said, "My name is Carmilla Theodore. Daughter of Karlson and Diana Theodore. It's nice to meet you, Niana."
The child tilted her head to the side, frowning in confusion. There was a long pause where Niana stared at her outstretched hand.
Carmilla realized that she looked like a fool.
From the kitchen, Vaeri called, "Shake her hand, dear." Even if she didn't see her face, Carmilla could feel her smirk.
"Oh!" Big red eyes lit up and her much smaller hand took Carmilla's in a soft yet erratic shake. "Hehe, nice to meet you, Carmilla! Can I call you Mimi?"
'What a weird nickname...' She distantly thought.
"So!" Niana interrupted before the scout could reply. She was already focused on the items in her hands rather than hearing what she might say. "Do you like magic, Mimi? Because I love magic! It's like, so amazing!"
"I- uh, yeah. I guess."
'What the hell, sure.' Carmilla could feel her mind flipping a switch. For the first time since waking up, she finally relaxed, leaning onto the couch.
It was just a child. A child that could feel her intentions. She was probably well-aware of Carmilla's hesitation and displaced attitude since they walked downstairs. Despite that, she still tried her best to engage with her.
Carmilla was raised well enough to know that she should just relax.
In a small voice, she added. "It's been with me since I was a small kid. Probably even smaller than you."
That caught the little girl's attention. Niana looked up at Carmilla with blown out and sparkling eyes. "Woah! That's so cool! Mama's the same! Can you see it too?"
As if being prompted, she squinted just enough to see that the mana was much stronger downstairs than upstairs. The same mechanism but it felt fuller.
"Yes. Although, I need to focus to be able to detect anything. Otherwise, it's just my normal eyes."
Niana climbed the couch the sit by her side. "That's so cool! Isn't that cool, Mama?"
Immediately after, Vaeri replied. "Very cool."
It was comedic how immediate Vaeri responded to her daughter's actions. Carmilla was starting to think that there was some sort of camera watching Niana's every move so she could reply. It must be because of their close bond.
Despite their difference in race, Carmilla could see just how much Vaeri cared for Niana. She truly saw the human child as her own daughter. Carmilla was almost jealous.
"I can't see magic yet. Mama says I will be able to when I'm older because she senses a dormant core inside of me or something. But I still love magic! I can still use it with these runes."
Interesting. That meant that Niana was the same as Carmilla. A rare-birth that mutated into a being capable of adapting the unique magic of Itov. Perhaps it was best that she was being taken care by an elf in another realm.
Niana continued, "Mama is the best with runes! She made these ones in a day and countless other things that makes fishing really fun!" Her chubby little fingers pointed at the rune she held. "I love ice fishing! Do you like ice fishing, Mimi?"
"Oh. I have never done that before. I don't eat fish."
"WHAT?!"
Her shrill scream summoned Vaeri into the room.
Niana was in a very fast tangent about fishing and how awesome fish was. It was easy enough to recognize that Carmilla was nodding along while trying her hardest to find sense in the words the child threw at her. Something Vaeri related to with the amount of filler words her daughter knew for her age.
With her hands on her hips, she spoke. "Let's eat?"
Niana was surprised, as if her line of sight wasn't directly to the kitchen where she could see her mother from. "Mama!"
Carmilla didn't jump. She looked over her shoulder with a pointed look, conflicted with a hint of suspicion.
"What are we gonna eat for breakfast?"
Vaeri gently fixed her daughter's hair and clothes as she led her to the kitchen, gently holding her hand. "Rice and stew from last night."
"Again?"
Carmilla watched them carefully from behind.
"We're running low on supplies, my dear. I would need to go to the village to restock for this month before I could make your favorites again."
"Can I at least come this time? I don't want to be stuck in the house all alone..."
Vaeri eyed Carmilla as she replied, "Well, you won't be alone this time."
It took some time before Niana understood. Her bright eyes shined at Carmilla's direction. "Really?!"
"Really..?" Carmilla asked with a small voice. "I don't think it's a good idea to leave me alone with your daughter, Miss Vaeri."
What she really meant was that it was an insane idea to leave your child to a stranger you barely know. Sure, Carmilla owed her life to Vaeri for nursing her back to health and providing her food and medicine, but that could not be enough to earn trust.
What has Carmilla actually done to deserve that kind of respect?
At the very least, it stopped Vaeri's train of thought. She signed, resigned. "Niana? How about you bless the table? I want to talk with Carmilla for a bit."
"Mamaaaaa..."
"I know, darling. It will be quick, okay?"
"Okay..."
Vaeri wiped the frown from her face with a gentle kiss on her forehead. The kiss reinvigorated the child enough to run off to the dining table.
Carmilla braced herself for the conversation. This was the second time that the two of them were talking alone this day. She didn't know the reason why she was counting, just that she was.
Vaeri was more uncomfortable than Carmilla had ever seen her. "Initially, I planned on going to the village a few days ago. But recently, Niana has been getting more restless. And with your arrival..." She trailed off.
Carmilla didn't need to know the rest. She understood the circumstances. A child that desperately wanted to spend as much time as they want with her mother. While she had never shared the same sentiment, she was fond of the bond whenever she read it in a novel.
She continued to listen intently. "I usually restock every time the season changes. Hunting is easy enough but there are things that cannot be reproduced without the village's help. Niana isn't welcomed in that village, the villagers aren't keen with her existence and I don't think Niana has come to accept that."
They watched Niana not so stealthily straining her ear to hear the end of their conversation. She was busted of course. Instead of looking guilty, she just laughed it off and tried again.
"She probably wants to try again and prove that she is nothing to be afraid of. That's why she's been more and more insistent on coming with me to the village. I haven't been confident enough in my strength to protect her as I did back then. But..." Vaeri's eyes trailed Carmilla's frame. "Perhaps with you there..."