"Ish'nu ala Brother." Lithriel bowed his head to a priest who resembled nothing of Lithriel.
Yllithia blinked, clearly confused. Her father didn't have siblings that she could remember. Not only that, but there was no resemblance. She was smart enough to know that you looked like those you were related to, she carried many of the feature of both her parents. Lithriel was thin, even going so far as to say lanky. He wasn't much taller than most others, but his thin body often times made him look so. His teal hair had been fading to a silvery white color, though Yllithia had never seen what true beauty it had been when Lithriel was young, it reminded her of rain now, the way it was only hinted at having any blue left in it. And the skin, it was pink in nature, nothing at all what this other man portrayed. She looked back and forth as they spoke a few moments, the other man was stout if you would. Seven foot and a solid frame, blue skin and startling emerald hair. They couldn't be related. Lithriel cast a glance to her as he spoke, and in the brief moment of doing so he tapped his nose to her, widening his smile as well. Ylli had almost forgotten, she pushed down her confusion about the relationship her father and this unknown man had and psyched herself up so she almost giggled. A joyous grin on her face.
"Ish'nu ala Uncle." She blurted with a bow that was noticeably not something she'd practiced. Both men stopped mid-sentence and turned towards Yllithia, Lithriel blinking a few times. The other took a moment then roared with laughter. She wasn't sure what she'd done, maybe her bowing needed some work. His amusement bounced around the high walls of the temple, echoing off the white stone causing it to ring in such a way that she couldn't help but giggle a little as well.
"Ylli... he's not your uncle. What an odd thing to say, you know I have no siblings." Lithriel voiced, looking from the man still laughing to Yllithia.
"But... you said brother, Papa. If he's your brother then I his niece." To this Lithriel also began to laugh. She didn't get it, what was so funny? It was a reasonable conclusion to draw. Lithriel's rich voice filled less of the common area than the other mans gruff onslaught. She looked around flustered as if the near empty room would give her the answers she sought, a blush began to show on her face, but the smile remained. "What Dad?"
The priest wiped tears from the corner of his eyes. "You hear that Lithriel? I'm an uncle and probably half your age!" He laughed again, not as loud as before, but whatever was so amusing still caused him to vocalize the emotion.
Lithriel cleared his throat and shook his head. "He's a brother of the temple Ylli, as am I. Thus we have a bond to Elune, and to another. It's a title given to those that take up the cloth, unity."
"Oh." Ylli uttered, her blush in full bloom causing her checks to turn nearly as dark as her tattoos. "I thought..." She trailed off looking at two ladies that had stopped to snicker about the commotion. She shifted uncomfortably, toeing the ground and wrapping her arms around herself. Her first time here and she was a laughing stock.
The man shook his head, "Aww little one, it was a mistake. I see Lithriel hasn't taught you of titles and places yet. Probably too busy filling your head with fairy tales. And it's not as if your mother would know where she stood in here, I think I've yet to see here inside the walls." Ylli narrowed her eyes, noticing the subtle stabs at her families honor.
"Call him elder, or another title of age Ylli." Lithriel piped in. If he noticed himself being made a fool, he was good at hiding it. He smiled softly at Ylli with a nod.
She gritted her teeth. "Elders are to be respected." She regurgitated the lesson her father had taught her. "Very well.... Elder." She bowed down again keeping her eyes to the floor, her flush being replaced with anger. She didn't want them to see it, she had to make a good impression for her father. She took a breath and looked up, the heat from what she could have, should have said bubbling inside her, but she just simply bit her lip and turned the corners of her mouth up.
"Ylli, come." Lithriel waved her over holding out his hand for her to take. "I should be on my way anyways Brother, much to sort, much to catalog. I've found a new section that I fear hasn't been sifted through in years." He nodded to the priest as Ylli obediently took her fathers hand. "Elune bless you."
"And you Lorekeeper. May you have her light in your dusky cellar." Lithriel began pulling Ylli along as she stared back at the man she was to call an elder. Perhaps he needed to learn a lesson or two on respect himself. She turned her attention to the corridors they traveled. The place was so quiet, only the occasional low drone of conversation could be heard as they passed chamber after chamber of all sorts of activity. It was so chilling, the silence, the stone walls blocking out the sounds she was used to of insects and wildlife, and it was as if the walls could keep the sound from the inside out as well, everything she heard was dampened, hushed.
"I don't like him Papa."
Ylli. Open heart, open mind. Accept him for what he wishes to be, not what he is. Now hush less someone believe you to have no love for the temple."
She sighed and nodded. Open heart, open mind, everyone wants to be something, find what that is and you'll find the true being. Look not on the outer appearance, after all, perceptions can be misleading.
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