Call me : Darkness

Lost Appetite

Aurora is three.
Her mother is twenty.
And her father near millenia.
It's an odd combination but they somehow manage to pull through.

The darkling still sputters about hating the little urchin, Alina knows different - and maybe so does Aurora.

It has been decades since little palace had a toddler roaming the halls. Needless to say, they're more than careful these days. Except Genya of course. The redhead and Aurora have specific deal they put forth every once in a while. No one knows the deal and everyone has their own assumptions. The darkling tried asking the tailor about it, his own toddler took Genya's side instead of his.

Alina had just snickered indignantly before going back to practicing.

The only thing that bothers almost everyone in the little palace is the loss of appetite in the child.

"I'll eat at home," She would say innocently and Alina was coax her with another bite.
"I'll eat after papa has eaten," she would whisper timidly and Alina would run her hands through her hair and try to feed her more.
"I'm not hungry," she would moan and Alina would fake a soft laugh before trying to feed her the same thing again.

Tonight though, tonight's different.

An order has been passed by the king for his second son to return from his studies for a few days, mainly to celebrate his birthday. The grand palace and the little palace is busy trying to prepare the rooms for their young prince.
"He's nothing like his brother," Genya would whisper to Alina as a means of reassuring her. But the sun summoner would merely shrug and hold the hand of her sleeping daughter tight.

Tonight's the last day of the preparation.
And the darkling is angry at the amount of grisha power used for the sake of an Otkazat'sya kid.

And as everyone gathers in the mess hall to eat. Alina and Aurora at the darkling's table, soon to be joined by his presence. The little toddler cries out, "Not hungry!"
She slams Alina's hand away and the porridge like goey substance flies to the ground.

The servants immediately start at the clean up while Alina tried to coax Aurora into eating something or other.

She doesn't.

When Aleksander enters, he witnesses his daughter running from table to table, touching and prodding at everyone's food.
She runs towards Etherealki table and yanks herself on Genya who catches her by instinct, trying to feed her from her plate.
Aurora runs away.

The darkling watches as Aurora approaches the Materealki table and stares at David with an unknown curiosity before running off again.

He watches her return to the obsidian table before making a weird face at the food and running off again.

He watches as her ankle twists and she falls in the middle of the mess hall.

He watches as pearly tears slip down her cheeks, her cries echoing throughout the place.

Many grishas run towards her at once before noticing the darkling and stopping themselves, except for Genya of course.

She and Alina run towards Aurora and gently pick her up.

Aurora keeps crying and shuddering, despite the words of comfort thrown at her.

"Wanna go home!" She sobs, "please mommy!"

And the darkling loses it.

The shadows in the room grow denser as he rushes towards Alina. His eyes glint with manic madness. Genya shrinks away before shaking herself out of the sudden emotion and standing tall with Alina.