Jayd Retrieves His Son

© 2008 A. Jane

Jayd jerked open the door to the Royal Valley Orphanage in Artezan, his face set in determined lines as he entered the large manor house. He was there to collect his son and no one better think to stop him.

“So you came.” Betrys descended the large staircase, her eyes locked onto the pirate. She had been overseeing the renovation and remodel of the music room on the second floor. Rejina was soon to start her harp lessons and she wished the room to be in fine order. The children had been most excited to learn of the lessons and several had requested other instruments to gain knowledge of and she was quite pleased to indulge all their musical desires.

“Where is my son?” He did his best to remember to speak in the dulcet tones of the Titled, to continue playing Simm lyn Fai, but it was difficult. His heart was threatening to break from his breast it thumped so hard and fast. “I come to claim him.”

“This way.” She motioned the pirate to follow her. Despite his formal dress and melodic vocals, he had failed to tame the wildness in his eyes. “He plays in the yard with the other children.”

“He is well?” Jayd walked next to the van Wyrn. He wondered if he should tell her that her husband was busy uninviting Davo’s men from Argos—he himself would be there, but both Rayn and Aunt Flash had insisted he retrieve his son. He thought of the way she had struck his cousin, the way she left Argos ten days prior, he thought she might not wish to hear a word.

“Oh yes. I look over each child that enters here. ‘Tis lucky I saw you when I did, for I was considering adopting him myself. Though I did begin to wonder if you had changed your mind about coming for him.”

“Unable was I to leave as quickly as I would have liked or I would have been here that much the sooner.”

“Know you why he would be placed under the name Wyldat? ‘Tis not a House name I am familiar with.”

“Mayhap ‘twas recorded wrong, for a woman I knew from the House of wyl Dath. A night or two we shared and afterwards she sailed off. ‘Twas the last I ever saw of her and never did I think a child had been conceived, as I took all the proper precautions to prevent it.”

“That is how many of the children come to reside here. ‘Tis a shame.”

“Had I known, never would he have spent a day here.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his frock coat. “Have you been calling him Wyldat?”

“No, ‘tis only the name he is listed under. When I acted as healer upon his arrival, I asked him his name. He stated his Nana called him Magic and ‘tis that which we call him. I contemplated naming him Meko, but I thought ‘twould only confuse him.”

Jayd offered a pirate’s grin. “Magic is a fine name and he shall keep it. ‘Tis the House his mother descended from; she was the daughter of Fairy Magic and Feral Strike. Though I must wait until I hold him to know which House he takes his magik from; he is of an age when the magik starts to manifest itself.”

They left the manor and walked about the large yard, searching for the area where the younger children played. Jayd stilled when he saw a boy with scruffy black hair and tufts of silver at his temples. Tears sprang to his eyes. His child.

“Magic,” Betrys called. “There is someone I wish you to meet.”

The black haired boy looked over upon hearing his name and came running seeing the woman with the red hair, the one who gave him sweets to eat. As he grew closer, he saw the man standing next to the sweets woman, saw him drop to his knees, and, without knowing why, ran to him instead.

The tears fell as Jayd wrapped his arms around his son, held him close against his heart. Oh aye, his child. He leaned back and looked at the little boy. He had his blue eyes and a dimple in his right cheek. There was dirt smudged on his little nose and on his pointy chin. He started touching him all over, making certain he was well and came across a scrapped elbow and a bruise on his shin. How many such injuries had he himself sustained as a lad?

He laughed seeing the curiosity in his son’s eyes and harder still when he felt Magic’s little hands searching his pockets. He was a pirate’s lad all right. His son.

“Yer Papa I am.” He couldn’t help it, he slipped into the rough parlance of a pirate.

“My Papa?”

“Aye, and plan I do to take ye home upon my boat.”

Magic flung his arms around his father, vibrating with excitement. “Is it a big one?”

“Oh aye, The Stormfront, she is quite big.” Jayd hugged him again.

“Truly? I like big boats.”

“Much fun will we have together sailing upon it, of this I promise.”