ᴇᴜᴍᴏɪʀᴏᴜꜱ

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 -𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭-

 

ꜱɪxᴛᴇᴇɴ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴇᴀʀʟɪᴇʀ...

After so much summer heat, the heavens broke to release a torrent of rain. The soil sucked the water greedily, only allowing puddles to form on the stone paths. Jamanakai village breathed in relief at the sudden storm. The rain was a desperately needed gift to the plants and animals that grieved over the dusty stream beds, and as they steadily filled, the worries of the village dissipated.

Emma held her hand to the cool window pane, stoically watching her breath condense around her outstretched fingers. Her tired gaze looked out into the night, and although the older woman could hear the steady floods of water hitting her roof, she couldn't see it through the thick darkness outside.

The woman sighed, tensing when she heard the winds howling as they pushed angrily against the quaint cottage. As much as Emma appreciated the rain, the way the storm screamed and grumbled in fury made her stomach twist in discomfort.

A calloused hand wrapped around hers, and Emma turned to her husband beside her. His face was partially illuminated by the crackling fire in front of them, revealing a slightly wrinkled face. Once jet black, his hair now had tuffs of grey stringing through it, signifying how many years had passed. Soft Hazel eyes, which held swirls of brown and green, looked into her worried jade hues in assurance.

"Will how much longer is this storm going to last?" Emma wondered softly, flinching when a clap of thunder roared in the village. Lightening followed soon after, the light briefly illuminating the darkness around them. Will squeezed her hand, hoping to give his wife the smallest bit of comfort.

"I have no idea, but I know the crops are loving this." The man said in a soothing tone, smiling slightly at the thought of his crops growing strong. Emma nodded, her gaze flickering to the fire. Will's smile slowly fell at her troubled expression, and he shuffled closer to her smaller form.

"I wouldn't worry too much, Em. I'm sure it's going to be over soon." Will comforted, wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Emma smiled, her eyes expressing her gratitude as her head rested against him. They stayed pressed against each other, and soon enough, Will's presence was enough to ignore the fierce sounds around them. Emma slowly untensed; her eyelids became heavy as she felt sleep's alluring pull.

A sudden sound forced her awake. Emma lifted her head in a daze, rubbing her eyes in confusion. Will stared at his wife, his bushy brows furrowed in concern. He was barely able to question her strange behavior when the sound echoed throughout the house once more. They both turned to each other, reflecting the confusion they felt.

Emma lifted herself from the couch, straining her ears to hear what sounded like a sharp cry. As if fate heard her call, the cry became louder, clearly piercing through the storm. Emma quickly rushed to the door, Will following close behind. Throwing open the wood door, her attention immediately landed on the basket in front of her, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Em, what is-" Will stopped, his body stiffening at his wife's side. Inside the handwoven basket, swaddled in a white blanket, was a baby. The baby girl stopped her cries as the sound morphed into a giggle as she reached a chubby hand toward them. The duo didn't react, seeming paralyzed as they stared.

On either side of the girl were two snow-white appendages wrapped tightly around the baby's tiny body. Even from here, the couple could see the feathers on the wings that ruffled in excitement. At the couple's hesitance, a frown appeared on the girl's face, her lip quivering as the rain hit her.

"What in the Ninjago?" Will muttered, running a hand through his hair. His words seemed to snap Emma out of her stupor, and she hurriedly reached down, gently wrapping her arms around the girl. The girl stared thoughtfully at the woman with innocent deep blue eyes, and Emma smiled, bringing the girl to her chest. A clap of thunder sounded once more, and Emma pulled the baby closer, being mindful of the soaked feathered wings.

"Will close the door," Emma commanded, quickly retreating indoors. Will numbly followed her orders, watching in shock as his wife moved to the couch with the bundle in her arms. Em's buried motherly instincts started to take root as she rocked the girl, simultaneously drying the white feathers with a towel. The older man rubbed his eyes, cautiously joining his wife as he watched the wings in fascination.

An almost forgotten melody from Emma's childhood came to her mind, and before Emma knew it, she was humming the tune to the girl. Her voice was soft and comforting to the child, and soon the girl's eyes drifted shut with a soundless yawn.

"Who... what is she?" Will whispered incredulously. The baby shuffled her wings in contentment as she slept, snuggling closer to the woman.

"I don't know. But she needs us, Will." Emma answered softly, gently wiping away the streaks of dried tears on the girl's chubby cheeks. The man's hazel hues snapped to his wife in confusion, his bushy brows furrowed.

"Emma, we can't take care of a child, let alone one with wings. I mean, look at us! We aren't as young as we used to be." Will argued quietly, gesturing to the two of them. The woman's eyes moved to her husband, full of conviction.

"And what do you suggest we do? Throw her back on the street in hopes someone else will take her!" Emma scolded, sending the man a sharp glare. The anger in her quickly subsided as she looked back at the girl, bringing her closer to her body. "Anyways, you know I've always wanted a child." She murmured, her voice barely over a whisper.

Will sighed, his eyes softening as he watched Emma lovingly caress the child. The child sneezed, and he tensed, expecting the girl to awaken, but she didn't. Instead, her small feathers fluffed out in irritation before returning to their flatter state, the girl falling back into slumber. Warmth filled his chest at the sight, and he sighed, bringing a finger toward her cheek.

"What about the wings?" Will questioned, brushing his finger against the soft skin. "Ninjago can be dangerous for those who are different." He paused as a tiny hand wrapped tightly around his finger.

"We will have to find a way to hide them," Emma answered firmly, carefully rubbing her finger against the soft feathers. The man raised an eyebrow, a smirk rising at her confidence.

"How do you suggest we do that?" The man inquired, his gaze still locked onto the hand grasping his finger. Will didn't want to admit it, but this mysterious child was growing on him, and he knew he would do anything to protect her.

"We'll figure it out. We always do." Emma stated, her head once again resting on Will's shoulder. The man's chest rumbled in amusement as he pulled the woman closer, his hazel hues still locked on the ball of feathers below him.

"If you say so, Em." He mumbled, leaning his head on top of hers. As they admired the girl before them, the storm slowly cleared, the rain fading into nothing but a few drops.

Emma and Will didn't know what their future would hold, but they didn't care. All they knew for sure was that they would get through it together.

ᴛʜᴀɴᴋꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ɴᴇᴡ ʙᴏᴏᴋ. ɪ'ʟʟ ᴛʀʏ ᴛᴏ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜱɪꜱᴛᴇɴᴛʟʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴀᴍ ꜱʟᴏᴡ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ. ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴛꜰᴘ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ, ꜱᴏ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴏʀʀʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ. ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ꜱᴏ ꜰᴀʀ! ɪ'ᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ!