Chapter 4: Language

***Free City of the State of Nict, Tri***

***Valda***

"That's definitely weird."

Laney tugs at her bottom lip as she looks at Azir who is playing on the floor.

It's been a week since my abduction from him and I must admit I'm still shaken. I thought I'd go crazy in that cave. But then my son rescued us. I don't care what it is. Azir is my son and that's it.

It opened up to me over the last week and I've started to think that this whole story might have a good ending.

Although I would soon have to admit that Azir is not a normal child. He is very intelligent and doesn't act like a kid his age. The only problem seems to be that he doesn't know our language.

But he's working on that hurdle. I have to correct myself. He's not kidding. He's scribbling notes in a notebook while he's flipping through the pages of a children's book. It's one of those that have pictures with the names of things below them.

I gestured to Azir.

"He even taught himself the alphabet. All I did was read him a few books while I had him on my lap."

Laney nods.

"A normal child doesn't learn to speak and write at the same time. What he's doing feels more like an adult approach to learning an unfamiliar language."

She tilts her head.

"Maybe it's your skill?"

I frowned. All mages in our world have an innate ability that allows them to use a particular spell without chanting. That's why the great clans came into being. Our clan has the power to manipulate mana freely. Others may be able to form water at will. From time to time, some members of the clan develop different skills. But the ability is typically inherited through the female lineage. That's why clan leaders are almost always women.

Each clan fiercely guards its magical bloodline, always trying to get their hands on suitable children to ensure the next generation. A child between a female Mage and a non-Mage is not guaranteed that the offspring will inherit a magical ability. The ability to use magic can lie dormant for many generations in this case. There are cases of bloodlines that were thought to be lost, reappearing in the child of a commoner who had an ancestor with magical power. On the contrary, a child between two magicians is always a magician.

I cross my legs and think about him for a moment.

"Do you think it improved memories and intelligence? But that's the skill of the Siorda clan. I don't think I have any of them in my family tree. And I thought your ability is to freely control the blood?"

"Maybe he came from the male line? Too bad we don't have complete records of the husbands who married into our clan. Although I haven't heard of a case of someone with two skills."

Laney crosses her arms in front of her chest.

Azir looks up and I turn my attention to him. He's holding a sheet of paper and waves in the air, so I kneel in front of him and smile.

"What do you have there? Show Mom what you've written."

He shakes his head and points at Laney.

"Her her!"

Laney walks over and picks up the leaf.

"Oh, you're so charming to think of me..."

She looks and her smiling face immediately becomes expressionless. Then she closes her eyes and smiles again as she hands me the sheet.

"He's not only handsome, he's also a real Prince Charming. I think you're going to have a lot of work if you want to match him with one of the best ladies."

I pick up the sheet and frown as I read the unrefined scribbled letters.

"Filth (Curse?) Moonfaceslut (insult?). Woman, stop poking me with your staff. You might mess up and get it right yourself one of these days."

Laney's expression becomes vicious.

"I think you should double your weekly portion of liver."

She doesn't like to be reminded of her son's round face. It's not like she's ugly, but she still has a complex about this particular trait of hers.

"I think you're looking at it the wrong way."

I smile at Azir and stroke his hair.

"That was a good attempt Azir, but you made some mistakes."

Azir's expression becomes worried.

"Error?"

That's a word he already understands. Then I bend over and correct my sentence.

"Look. That's how it's supposed to be. This is Laney."

I point to Laney.

"Hello my beautiful maiden, Laney. Please stop poking me with your instruments, thank you. Don't fool yourself and get hurt by them."

Azir searches for several seconds in the new sentence, then he turns the notebook over and starts scribbling again, correcting some of his notes.

Laney frowned and gestured at him.

"Do you know it won't be long before he finds out?"

I shrug.

"Don't worry about it. You've been mistreating us all night with your instruments. It's understandable that he has a little resentment."

"Let me try something."

Laney knees down and looks at Azir.

"Oh, me on Laney."

She points to herself.

"Who are you?"

She gestures at him.

Azir stares for a moment at his hands. Then he smiles.

"Azir."

I nod and stroke her head.

"I will monk."

Laney murmurs. Then she points to herself.

"Laney is from here."

She gestures to the bedroom. Then she points to Azir.

"Is Azir from...?"

Azir tilts his head. Then he points up to the ceiling and continues his research into the children's book.

I sigh.

"I think he misinterpreted."

Laney continues to stare at Azir.

"I don't think so. It was part of a summoning ceremony. What if it is not your body that has been summoned, but your soul? I've always wondered where these black mages conjure their monstrosities from."

I hug Azir.

"But he's not a monster. What monster can have a brilliant mind like him?"

Laney takes a sheet of paper and draws a horizon with the sky, the earth, and the sun.

"Laney is from here."

She points to the ground.

"Is Azir from heaven?"

She points to the sky.

Azir sighs and points to the sun.

"From beyond."

He picks up the leaf and makes some dots in the sky.

"From beyond."

Laney picks up the sheet.

"There are theories that there are other worlds. And that every light in the night sky is another sun like ours."

I shake my head.

"But did he say he's from the beyond? Is there anything further away? Azir? What is the afterlife like?"

Azir grimaces painfully.

"Besides, it's very cold. It's hot here. Much better."

He hugs me.

I can't help but hug you too.

"Azir? Don't ever tell anyone you're from beyond, okay?"

I point to the paper.

"Azir doesn't say. Azir is not from the beyond."

He furrowed his brows, then he shakes his head and smiles.

"Azir from here."

He hits the ground and I let out a sigh.

***Nict State Free City, Tri***

***Azir***

I have a name! It's been a long time since I've had one. And I decided to stay with the creepy woman who seems to be my mother. No idea why she wants to be my mother, but I have no objection to having a protector.

This world is beyond my reasoning. Why do these people keep so many dangerous animals around them? There's a really scary cat hanging out on my parents' property. I'd probably just be a dinner party.

At least, Valda explained to me that the white stuff is something my new body needs. She wasn't trying to poison me. And the mad doctor's name is Laney. Now they're discussing something among themselves.

But they're talking too fast to me, so I don't have a chance to understand them. My mother wants me to hide the fact that I'm not a normal child. There are probably some cultural issues that I'm unaware of. But for now, all my attention is focused on learning the language.

That damn language drives me crazy. There is no tense added to the verbs. Instead, you indicate the tense by placing the verb at the beginning, middle, or end of the sentence. And depending on certain pointers that don't have any meaning of their own, you can completely change the meaning of a word.

For example: "Rahuun" means moon. But "aRahuun" is the dawn of the morning. I wanted to have my magic and I could just suck the knowledge out of someone. They probably wouldn't react very well to it. Maybe it's best to learn the old-fashioned way.

I look up and hear the confusion between my mother and Laney. At least my self-hypnosis techniques are still working. They say the best way to learn a new language is to listen to it day and night. Even while you're sleeping. So, I force my attention into their mouths and try to ignore the rest of the world.

After a while I sigh and keep taking my notes to make sense of this mess.