Rakka’li could’ve guessed that Akkhi was wealthy from the finery that she and Rhun wore on their outing to Hawker’s alley, but he wasn’t quite prepared for the house she owned in the Mist.
Owned.
It was easily twice the size of the house he’d lived in briefly in the Lavender Beds, and it wasn’t sparse like that one, or crowded with the Shroudwolf clan he was kind enough to put up for a time. Every comfort Rakka’li ever speculated about owning was readily available, and many more he hadn’t.
Presently he sat in Akkhi’s office. The voices of Ruhn and her two younger sisters Tahn and Mahla a distant thing as they took to their lessons. They had a tutor, and each could read and do arithmetic.
To say that Akkhi had prospered was an understatement.
“So you’re a Hearer?†She asked, seated across from him. They were close, a low table for refreshments between them. He’d shed his robe and left his stave in the foyer, revealing his tatty traveling clothes and worn boots. She had not seemed to notice.
“Aye, fought it fer a time. Always blamed the Wood fer mother’s death,†he sat back, trying to relax in the plush chair.
“What changed yer mind?†She’d leaned forward, chin on the back of her fingers, elbow on the arm of the chair.
He shrugged, “Wood’s home.â€
“Hm,†it was a measured noise, something like a careful disagreement.
“Ye don’t think so?â€
“Wood’s fine,†she leaned forward to procure a strip of jerky before settling back and tearing it easily with her fangs, “... just ain’t so nice a place to live after... “ she trailed off.
“All this?†He supplied, looking around pointedly.
“Was goin’ to say the fall, but aye, all this too,†she nodded, “but yer a Hearer, so it’s different for ye.â€
“S’ true,†he leaned forward to grab up his own piece of jerky, “think I’d go mad if I fought it.â€
They sat in silence a moment, chewing, the sounds of laughter from the girls a distant thing, warming.
“Where’s Rakka’sae?†She asked.
His ears tilted back slightly, but they were normal again by the time he’d swallowed the last of the jerky and spoke, “He’s with a Hyur girl, got a child together, can’t say I approve o’ mixin’ blood like that, but the two o’ em are happy, n’ he’d bloody me good if I spoke against it.â€
If she seemed put off at the knowledge that she had a half-breed niece nothing on her face or from her ears gave it away, “You see him much?â€
Rakka’li shook his head, “No, he’s been all about his girl for a while now.â€
“And what about you? Got kittens of your own?â€
Her younger brother’s expression darkened slightly, pained, but he smiled, “Aye, a few. Here and there.â€
Akkhi studied his face for a long time in silence, until Rakka’li was reminded of how things had been when he was a child. Akkhi looked too much like their mother he decided. Again he couldn’t help but look away.
“What was that look fer?†She dug finally, leaning forward, but Rakka’li offered only silence.
She scowled, and opened her mouth to press further, but Rhun came running in, tail swishing, stopping at Rakka’li’s chair and pressing herself up on her tiptoes with the arm-rest. She grinned wide, unabashed adoration directed Rakka’li’s way. Akkhi rolled her eyes. Rhun had just begun to notice boys, and Rakka’li’s rescue act had obviously given her a terrible case of kitten-love. His being her uncle hardly seemed to matter, and in truth among some of the clans it would not have.
“Do you like sachertorte?†Rhun piped, giddy.
“Ah.. can’t say I’ve tried it… ‘er even heard of it ‘afore. Sacher-what?†Rakka’li asked sheepishly, he spared a glance and a smirk Akkhi’s way that made her want to laugh aloud. He’d picked up on the kitten-love, of course.
Rhun’s tail stilled and her mouth hung open in shock, “What do you mean? How could you have never had sachertorte!?â€
Rakka’li shrugged, “Just ain’t, sounds expensive.â€
“Are you poor?†Rhun frowned. It was an extremely rude thing to ask, but Rhun had always been brash. It was the wild in her blood,  Akkhi thought.
Rakka’li laughed as Akkhi bristled and snapped, “Rhun!â€
To her credit the girl did wilt in embarrassment, her shoulders slumped and ears lowered. She cast her gaze downward before lifting her chin again and squeaking, “Sorry.â€
He mussed her fluffy, chin-length hair into a mess in response, and just like that all was well again, “S’alright.â€
Akkhi leaned across the table to swat at Rhun lightly, “Get back to yer lessons!â€
“May we buy sachertorte for Rakka’li?†She asked hopefully, ears tilted in apprehension as she leaned towards her mother, though she still hung onto the armrest.
“Aye, just get back to yer lessons.â€
Lessons seemed like the last thing on Rhun’s mind, but she’d obviously learned that sort of tone meant Akkhi really meant it. She was gone the next heartbeat.
The moment had been so reminiscent of their mother Rakka Kuhn that Rakka’li had to look away and gather himself again before speaking. “It’ll pass,†he offered helpfully.
“Or it won’t, and she’ll be makin’ moon-eyes at you till yer sick to death of it,†Akkhi chided, smirking.
He did look a little uncomfortable at that prospect, so Akkhi decided to be kind and change the subject. Her gaze slid pointedly to his clothes.
“Hearin’ not pay well?â€
“S’ a callin, not a job,†he replied, as if he’d explained it a thousand times.
Akkhi leaned back again, looking towards her desk and favoring her lip with one fang, as if considering something, though secretly she’d had the idea bells ago.
“How ‘bout ye work fer me?â€
Owned.
It was easily twice the size of the house he’d lived in briefly in the Lavender Beds, and it wasn’t sparse like that one, or crowded with the Shroudwolf clan he was kind enough to put up for a time. Every comfort Rakka’li ever speculated about owning was readily available, and many more he hadn’t.
Presently he sat in Akkhi’s office. The voices of Ruhn and her two younger sisters Tahn and Mahla a distant thing as they took to their lessons. They had a tutor, and each could read and do arithmetic.
To say that Akkhi had prospered was an understatement.
“So you’re a Hearer?†She asked, seated across from him. They were close, a low table for refreshments between them. He’d shed his robe and left his stave in the foyer, revealing his tatty traveling clothes and worn boots. She had not seemed to notice.
“Aye, fought it fer a time. Always blamed the Wood fer mother’s death,†he sat back, trying to relax in the plush chair.
“What changed yer mind?†She’d leaned forward, chin on the back of her fingers, elbow on the arm of the chair.
He shrugged, “Wood’s home.â€
“Hm,†it was a measured noise, something like a careful disagreement.
“Ye don’t think so?â€
“Wood’s fine,†she leaned forward to procure a strip of jerky before settling back and tearing it easily with her fangs, “... just ain’t so nice a place to live after... “ she trailed off.
“All this?†He supplied, looking around pointedly.
“Was goin’ to say the fall, but aye, all this too,†she nodded, “but yer a Hearer, so it’s different for ye.â€
“S’ true,†he leaned forward to grab up his own piece of jerky, “think I’d go mad if I fought it.â€
They sat in silence a moment, chewing, the sounds of laughter from the girls a distant thing, warming.
“Where’s Rakka’sae?†She asked.
His ears tilted back slightly, but they were normal again by the time he’d swallowed the last of the jerky and spoke, “He’s with a Hyur girl, got a child together, can’t say I approve o’ mixin’ blood like that, but the two o’ em are happy, n’ he’d bloody me good if I spoke against it.â€
If she seemed put off at the knowledge that she had a half-breed niece nothing on her face or from her ears gave it away, “You see him much?â€
Rakka’li shook his head, “No, he’s been all about his girl for a while now.â€
“And what about you? Got kittens of your own?â€
Her younger brother’s expression darkened slightly, pained, but he smiled, “Aye, a few. Here and there.â€
Akkhi studied his face for a long time in silence, until Rakka’li was reminded of how things had been when he was a child. Akkhi looked too much like their mother he decided. Again he couldn’t help but look away.
“What was that look fer?†She dug finally, leaning forward, but Rakka’li offered only silence.
She scowled, and opened her mouth to press further, but Rhun came running in, tail swishing, stopping at Rakka’li’s chair and pressing herself up on her tiptoes with the arm-rest. She grinned wide, unabashed adoration directed Rakka’li’s way. Akkhi rolled her eyes. Rhun had just begun to notice boys, and Rakka’li’s rescue act had obviously given her a terrible case of kitten-love. His being her uncle hardly seemed to matter, and in truth among some of the clans it would not have.
“Do you like sachertorte?†Rhun piped, giddy.
“Ah.. can’t say I’ve tried it… ‘er even heard of it ‘afore. Sacher-what?†Rakka’li asked sheepishly, he spared a glance and a smirk Akkhi’s way that made her want to laugh aloud. He’d picked up on the kitten-love, of course.
Rhun’s tail stilled and her mouth hung open in shock, “What do you mean? How could you have never had sachertorte!?â€
Rakka’li shrugged, “Just ain’t, sounds expensive.â€
“Are you poor?†Rhun frowned. It was an extremely rude thing to ask, but Rhun had always been brash. It was the wild in her blood,  Akkhi thought.
Rakka’li laughed as Akkhi bristled and snapped, “Rhun!â€
To her credit the girl did wilt in embarrassment, her shoulders slumped and ears lowered. She cast her gaze downward before lifting her chin again and squeaking, “Sorry.â€
He mussed her fluffy, chin-length hair into a mess in response, and just like that all was well again, “S’alright.â€
Akkhi leaned across the table to swat at Rhun lightly, “Get back to yer lessons!â€
“May we buy sachertorte for Rakka’li?†She asked hopefully, ears tilted in apprehension as she leaned towards her mother, though she still hung onto the armrest.
“Aye, just get back to yer lessons.â€
Lessons seemed like the last thing on Rhun’s mind, but she’d obviously learned that sort of tone meant Akkhi really meant it. She was gone the next heartbeat.
The moment had been so reminiscent of their mother Rakka Kuhn that Rakka’li had to look away and gather himself again before speaking. “It’ll pass,†he offered helpfully.
“Or it won’t, and she’ll be makin’ moon-eyes at you till yer sick to death of it,†Akkhi chided, smirking.
He did look a little uncomfortable at that prospect, so Akkhi decided to be kind and change the subject. Her gaze slid pointedly to his clothes.
“Hearin’ not pay well?â€
“S’ a callin, not a job,†he replied, as if he’d explained it a thousand times.
Akkhi leaned back again, looking towards her desk and favoring her lip with one fang, as if considering something, though secretly she’d had the idea bells ago.
“How ‘bout ye work fer me?â€
