A Surprise For Almost Everyone (tag: Miguel)

Irri desperately clung to the hand of the woman she knew as one of her mothers working girls, she had no clue on what was going on or being said other then there had been alot of fighting and even some yelling that managed to get them all the way into the castle. She had no clue about Storm's End, no clue who lived here or why everyone was so mean to the person she knew as a friend but in her other hand she desperately clung to an envelope that her mother had given her. She had nearly nipped a guard finger who had tried to take it from her only to be shielded by her caretaker. Soon they were alone in one of the rooms, someone had gone to fetch someone else that was all she knew. But her caretaker took one look at her then told her to stay where she was before leaving.

Being a scared little girl she did as she was told and soon enough she was all alone in a scary place she had no clue what was going on fully. It wasnt until a while had passed by that she realized she had been abandoned and silently started to cry but determined to try and be brave she had something important to do for her mother and she would do it even if she was scared. Planning on putting some mud in that woman's slippers tomorrow for leaving her all alone.

It had been a day like any other, the weather by no means at its finest as the servants went about their duties to keep things running smoothly. Miguel spent a good part of his day working on a painting of the view from his room's window. The imagery just seemed so perfect to him that day that he had to capture it onto paper. And so he sat, working away as servants brought his meals to him. They all knew by now that there was no getting him to leave when he was painting. It always put him in a trance.

Which was why it came to a great surprise when a servant came to his quarters and alerted him that his presence was requested. "I'm a little busy. Who is it?" he asked after a few moments of silence, green eyes focused on the canvas before him. He was working on the detail of the stone walls surrounding his window. His ears caught something about a woman that insisted she see him, having pushed and yell her way past the guards and other servants Which was curious in itself, but perhaps it was just a pushy relative of his. It wouldn't the first time his grandmother on his father's side decided to push her way in for a visit.

But then there was something about about a child. And a letter.

And that news was what finally pulled him away form his painting. The servant seemed relieved to have finally gotten his attention, which meant she must have been trying to get it for some time now. With a sigh, Miguel grabbed the scrap of cloth he kept around and wiped his hands of any paint. "Where are they?" he asked, standing up from the stool he had been sitting on. He followed after the servant, walking down corridor after corridor and even going down a flight of stairs.

When he finally reached the room they were meant to be in, he dismissed the servant and entered the room. And to his surprise, what was meant to be two people turned out to be just one. The little girl. Emerald eyes blinked as he took in the sight of her tiny form. When it looked like she might be crying, his features immediately softened up as he entered fully into the room "Hello there little one." he said softly, putting on a kind and charming smile as he approached her. "And who might you be?"

Iri waited and waited every now and then wiping her face from the tears she didn't want to let anyone know she had been crying. When she heard the doors finally open she was curious and hopeful it was her mother coming to get her but instead she saw a sight more surprising to her then anyone she could have expected. It was strange as she looked over the man entering the room she was kinda stunned by him he was big to her and looked kinda pretty. Though the most striking thing to her was his eyes which were just like her own, remembering what her mother told her while she watched her mother in her bed with worried eyes...

'Irri darling, your remember all those stories I told you of the blond knight? well you'll get to meet him today, one of the girls is going to take you to him and you will give him this letter... its just for him alright? give it to no one else. you'll know its him because he has the same pretty eyes as you my beautiful little girl'

Irri stared straight at the man who matched at least in her opinion the description holding the letter a little tighter infront of her as if using it as a shield while he approached her. Taking a moment before thrusting the letter out to him with both hands wordlessly, poor little thing looked a bit scared but also in awe of him.

The letter was a simple thing bound with a simple wax seal bearing no nobles mark of course, the girl was dressed in a commoners gown and had bits of dirt on her cheek and fingers though crinkled sightly from the little girls firm grip.

When opened the letter was written in rough but fluid writing of an unskilled hand the words broken with horrible sentence structure screaming a novice but still the writing was familiar...

Upon closer inspection, Miguel found himself taking a sharp inhale of breath as he spotted a familiar pair of emerald eyes looking up at him in stunned, and somewhat fearful, awe. They looked so much like his own that it was almost terrifying. The child herself didn't say a word, just looking up at him with that expression on her face as she held a letter tightly in front of her.

She had smudges of dirt on her face and curled fingers, added with her simple dress to show she was but a commoner. And the seal of the letter, from which he could see, was but a simple mark that did not belong to any noble house. So it was defiantly not the work of a relative of his.

Before he could ask who she was one more, the letter was shoved at him. Blinking, Miguel carefully took the letter from the child's grasp, giving her a smile as he did so. "Is this for me?" he asked, trying to keep calm. But inside he was worried. Quickly, he undid the seal and opened up the letter, green eyes glancing on the written words.

It was a bit messy, and written by someone who clearly did not speak the language naturally, but it was easy to understand. Though Miguel almost wished he didn't. The more of the letter he read, the more his eyes grew in shock. Several times he had to stop to absorb the information, his gaze looking towards the child that had given him the letter. This... this can't be real... can it? he wondered, going back to finish the letter.

Azuria... yes he remembered her. She was a beautiful woman who attracted Miguel when he was younger. She was the owner of a brothel, but Miguel hadn't been interested in any of the other women that worked there. He had only wanted her. He had been infatuated, but was not a fool to think it love. Still, his time with her had been one he looked fondly back on.

To think that we had a child together... he thought as he finished the letter. It seemed she had fallen on troubled times, and the child -Irri was her name- could not stay with her mother anymore. at least, not for the time being. Wait, what's this about someone to translate? he thought, looking up and around the room for another person. But there was no one there.

Looking towards his... daughter, Miguel gave a shaky smile. "Irri..." he started, kneeling down to her height as he gave a confused look. "Where did the other girl go?" he spoke slowly, in the hopes she would understand what he was asking. According to the letter she mostly spoke her mother's mother tongue.

She kept the letter held out with her eyes closed in a bit of a stubborn posture but still nervous, until he took the letter from her grasp as she quickly took the time while he was reading the letter to move behind a shelf sort of hiding behind it though still peeking out to look at him with those wide emerald eyes as she watched his emotions play out. She let her gaze roam around him she had thought when her mother mentioned the blond knight when she first met him he would be clad in all his armor from her  stories wielding sword and shield. But he was simply in very fancy clothing such as she had seen from time to time enter her mothers work place.

It was when he directly addressed her she finally made a noise it was a simple surprised squeak as she drew back only her emerald eyes peeking out now. Knowing it was rude not to answer she decided the try, even though she got the gist of what he said taking a breath she muttered in a very fast voice "Irri se Gillie arghugon qeldie oghar azantys kesrio Muna..... Gillie syt duro-boton se geptot Irri! Irri syt jagon henujagon vaogenka Gillie peko!" her head comming out more the more she spoke and her cheeks puffed up cutely as she pouted seeming upset about something.

The chi- his child had taken to somewhat hiding behind a self after he had taken the letter, peeking at him and glancing around the room whenever he had glanced her way during his reading. The shelf itself wasn't too far away so when he approached her to ask his question, he didn't take many steps. He hadn't been prepared for the squeak of surprise, jumping a little in startlement of his own as he stared at her with wide eyes.

"It's alright! It's alright." he said, trying to assure her all was fine. The poor dear just seemed to shy. Miguel had to admit, it was most adorable. If only she didn't hide so far behind the shelf now. With a sigh, he was about to speak again, but before he could Irri spoke. Green eyes widened as fast foreign words were speaking to him, the only ones he could understand was Irri's name and what he believed was the name Gillie. At least, he hoped it was a name.

"I.... I don't understand." he said slowly, trying to keep his head around the shelf. "Why don't you come out my dear?" he asked, giving a charming smile as he lifted his free hand up in offering. "Come come, there's no need to hide a sweet little one such as yourself. Come on out." He made a small gesture for her to come, hoping that would help her understand what he was asking of her.

Her little chipmunk cheeks deflated as he looked at him listening to him and gazing at his face then his had which outstretched towards her, she hid herself except for her eyes again not sure what to do. Gazing at his hand then back at his face, remembering her mothers stories she took a deep breath to calm herself as she slowed her words down "..... Geldie oghar azantys se Irri arghugon Muna?" asking softly in a slightly nervous tone hoping that the knight was going to take her back home to her mother.

She slowly crept out from behind the shelf and with a big breath took his hand trying to be a brave little girl for her mother, her little hand fitting in his as she quickly curled her fingers around his hand tightly betraying how nervous and scared she really was. Her little brave front starting to break as she sniffled "Irri jaelagon Muna.... Irri arghugon leton?"

At first it looked like she was going to retreat further behind the shelf, as only her eyes peeked out form her hiding lace. But after some time of looking between Miguel and his hand, she at least started to speak again. Sadly, he had no idea what she was saying apart from her name. But regardless, he gave a charming smile in the hopes it would help calm the girl down.

Slowly, his daughter began to leave the shelf, making him believe his plan was working. And when she grabbed his hand with hers, he marveled over just how small she really was. Her hand felt so light and delicate in his, even with the dirt and callouses that must have come form playing outside. As her fingers curled tightly around his, he gave a reassuring smile and a light squeeze of his own hand.

He really couldn't help it, the darling was just so adorable and seemed so lost. A fact proven more as the brave look on her face began to brake and a sniffle left her. Miguel felt himself panic a little, reaching the hand that held the letter to pet her head. "Shh, shhh. Don't fret little one." he tried to sooth, not sure what to do if she started crying. This was beyond his element. Did she even know what was going on?

"Irri um... darling, I'm not sure if you understand, but your mother is very sick. And the letter she sent with you is asking me to look after you until she's all better. Alright? Um.." Perhaps he needed to introduce himself? She probably had no clue who he was. Maybe. "My name is Miguel. And apparently... I am your father." Did she even understand any of the words he was speaking?

She was scared and very alone but she had heard nothing but good things about her mother blonde knight, letting out a few more sniffles until she felt something petting her head realizing it was his hand she tensed a moment only to find the gesture oh so comforting for her mother had performs the same task many times whenever Irri had been upset in the past. Then he began to speak to her she understood some of it. She knew he spoke of her mother and the letter not sure if he spoken about taking.... Care of her? But that couldn't be right she had to go back home to her mother. That is when he spoke those final words and those wide eyes were the size of dinner plates for she knew the word father. She couldn't believe it honestly, her mother had never mentioned her father she had just guessed he had been a client and like other children in her mothers brothel she was never going to see him.

But he was here? He was the knight her mother asked her to go to? It sorta made sense she guessed but she was young and very confused. But also in a way very happy "Geldie oghar azantys syt Irri Kepa?! Juor Irri Muna daor siulus Irri..." Going on a very long and fast rant before looking him in the eyes seeing the reflection of her own her little hand reaching out to touch his face but couldn't reach pointing to his eye then her own.... Before asking in a shaking voice "..... Kepa?.... Papa?"