Legacy: Can't Calm The Storm

3:6

Icefire

I scooped the tiny baby up from the crib and stared into her eyes. "Now, can you talk?"

No reply.

I sighed, "Say..." I couldn't believe I was doing this. "... Mommy."

The baby gurgled and squealed.

"It's a try." I patted the girls head and whispered, "I am being such a fool. War Immortal, killing Mythreans, and I'm raising a baby."

The baby replied, "Ba... Baba...?"

I muttered back, "Not 'baba,' BABY!" I looked at the tiny girl and realized that she didn't have to be a baby. I could make her older. I pointed my fingers at her, and let my magic purple fire revolve around her.

She grew, her cheeks softened, and her face became slender. She was a toddler.

"There, baby, that is magic."

"Baby?"

I huffed proudly, "Baby! There! You said it!"

"Mommy?" The girl's big crystal blue eyes glowed. She smiled, and I smirked at her dimples.

I groaned when I realized what I was doing. "UGH! LOOK AT ME!"

The toddler pointed at herself, and I stopped groaning. "Me mom."

"No. I'm the mom. You are-" I paused. "I never named you, did I?"

The little girl shook her head. "Never... No name." Her cheeks bloated in a wide smile.

"How about 'smiley?'"

She covered her mouth and shook her head. "I want a real name, Mommy."

I repositioned my thorn crown and wiped the blood on my red dress. I thought about names. "How about Sammy?"

She didn't reply.

"Yeah, I would hate to be called that, too. But you do look like a Sam."

The toddler stroked her long brown hair and giggled, "Mommy silly."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm thinking."

"You silly!" She stood up and waddled over to me. She tipped over and grabbed my nose with her hands. "You silly!"

I lost my emotions and stared at her. I realized how perfectly her hair falls past her shoulders. Her face was bright and beautiful, and she loved me. "... No, you're silly..."

The baby girl laughed and hugged my face.

I suddenly feared that she would hit my sharp crown, and I pushed her away. "EASY!"

The girl frowned.

I sighed and stroked her cheek.

"Be..."

I began to smile. "Uh huh, that's right."

"Beth... Bee..."

"Beth...?" I paused. "You're so smart! BETHANY!" I swept her up into my arms and cradled her.

The girl, no, Bethany, giggled and grabbed my arms. "WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

I sat her down. "Now you have a name." I heard screams echo in the cave. "Now I can go back to killing Mythreans."

Proudly, I began to strut away.

"What? Why?"

I looked around. "What's wrong now?"

Bethany pointed at me. "Why you kill? Killing isn't nice."

I felt my cheeks burn red. "ARE YOU QUESTIONING ME?!"

But Bethany looked at me innocently. "I'm just saying killing is bad..."

I gripped my septar tightly, my fists turning white. "... You don't understand."

"Killing isn't nice, Mommy!"

"Ugh, what do I expect a child to know?"

Bethany twirled her hair and frowned.

"You will understand when you're older, Beth." I turned around and began walking away.

"Would you kill me?"

I froze. "W-What are you talking about...?"

"Mommy tried to kill me when I was tiny."

I didn't look back at her. I didn't speak.

"Would you kill me now?"

I watched the flames erupt from blow me, and I took a deep breath. I muttered, "Stay in the cave."