Coming home again, for the first time.

[leela1]

She walked him through the nexus and out to the path near the lake at first. She wanted Thorn to see everything piece by piece so hopefully he wouldn't be overwhelmed by everything. The far trees and mountains were covered in January snow, but her land, the area within the wards were lush and green, growing

Comments

[name_of_thorn]

The boy studies his surroundings, impressed but not entirely out of place. His home as a boy was in medieval England or some version thereof, and this environment is not completely foreign. The spot where the sheilds stop the snow and winter ends is puzzling, and he peers intently at the magics at work there for a long moment but does not seem to be afraid of the place. "'S beautiful..." He does wonder where the crops are, and the other people, if she owns such a vast tract of land. "Um, begging your pardon ma'am, but are ye a queen?" He tilts his head up towards her for the answer, but respectfully avoids meeting her eyes. His legs are much shorter than hers but he keeps pace, trotting alongside her up the path.
If there is still the older version of Thorn somewhere out there, he'd probably be quite surprised to see his younger self taking his place.

[leela1]

"A queen? Oh no Thorn." It's on the tip of her tongue to tell him that she used to be a thief like she told his adult counterpart, but something holds her back. This Thorn is young and impressionable. This Thorn doesn't need to know about her past. Not for a long, long time. "My mother is something like a queen, but I'm not. However, I was given a lot of money, so we made our home here

[name_of_thorn]

This Thorn has never stolen more than a few scraps from the kitchen and glimpses of learning meant for someone else. The years of thievery and begging on the streets are still several years away and yesterday he was still a stable boy. It was not a good childhood, but he was granted some mercy in the form of that shelter and food until he was roughly Courtney's age

[leela1]

"Coming?" With a smile she moves ahead, down the garden path to the glass door at the end. Her knowledge of midieval times is sketchy at best, and mish-mashed with scenes from Hollywood movies. So she has no real clue about the life he's lived so far, other than the few talks that she and the grown Thorn would possibly have.

"Come on, I'm hungry!" She waves at the boy and moves into the house. "Do you want food first, or do you want to see your room? It's upstairs, near Tom's room. Tom is my son."

[little__riddle]

Tom is all too eager to show everything off. "That's the living room and the fireplace and I drew that picture for Mum...and that's my room, can you wait just a second while I put Aida back in her tank?"

He skids into a neat, celestial-themed room that tingles with magic and removes the snake from his shirt gently, speaking to her in a low, strange hiss. He holds her in the tank until she coils safely around a branch within, then clicks on a lamp overhead and goes to his dresser, pulling out a pair of folded pajamas. These have stars and owls on them. "Okay, ready!"

Like many boys his age, Tom seems to want to run everywhere. Luckily, he's not that fast. Still it's, not long before they reach Thorn's room, and he nudges open the door gently. "This one's yours."

[name_of_thorn]

The young Thorn is perfectly capable of keeping up, nearly as excited over this castle of marvels. He has never seen such a place where no tapestries are needed on the walls to keep out the drafts, yet they are kept on the floor in place of rushes. The lights do not flicker, but burn steadily and make the indoors twice as bright as any flame he's seen. The clothes Tom pulls out look like a wizard's, embroidered in some strange fashion that seems to match the room. The only thing that curbs his fascination is a worry that all these marvels will be presented and then he will be shown to some straw-lined basement for himself.
The room that the door opens on when Tom announces it as Thorn's is nothing like he imagined. There are books-so many books, some heaped on the desk and others on a shelf, the top of which is lined with a neat row of strange and mystical items. Thorn stops in the doorway and stares, scarcely daring to breathe.

[leela1]

Leela follows behind, a little slower with towels and facecloths. Matthew is on his yearly vacation, so it's do for yourself time, and the laundry is a little backed up right now. So she'll have to concentrate on that tomorrow. Tonight there are better things.

"Ah, there you two are. Tom, you want to show him how to run the water for the tub? And Thorn, these towels are for you." She looks around the room, and she gently starts stacking the books up neatly on the desk. A desk light, that's what Thorn needs. She starts stripping the bed while the boys talk, remaking it with fresh sheets. "Thorn we have indoor plumbing here to. Tom will explain." Let the boys work it out together.

And the hedgehog is right over there.

[name_of_thorn]

He accepts the towels without quite registering her words. The boy seems lost in awe of the room, and his gaze travels over the shelves before coming to rest on the bed. "I... I can sleep 'ere? Really?" His voice is hushed. Thorn has not slept in a bed since he was very young indeed.
The hedgehog is only remarkable for being kept in a cage, when he knows it as a wild creature that frequents gardens. Only belatedly does he realize what she's suggested. "I... 'ave to take a bath? It'll imbalance me 'umours..."