Work Text
She wondered how long she would have to wait. Her father always takes his time when they had guests over. It wasn't that Galiant didn't get along with them or that they were particularly uninteresting. In truth, she simply preferred to either be alone or be alone with someone else. In this case, it was her wanting to be alone with her father, Pierre, who was expressing his generosity to some unfortunates who couldn't really speak their language. Pierre somehow could speak back as if he was one of them, but he would often use flourishes and a certain body language shared with his own nativity, such as the commonality of Boulderrune, their home city and current home. Galiant found it interesting that he could just make people feel welcomed. He had a way of naturally making people open up and feel that they could trust him. It was if he had some kind of super power. But in reality, Pierre was just a normal man. Though, none could argue against the fact that he had a high charisma.Galiant sat on a stair way that led into the living space of her home. She is eight years old and at this point, she wishes that she had something better to do than talk to strangers who she couldn't understand. Pierre was showing his guest out the door when they suddenly stopped for another chat. Such discussions, which Galiant's mother, Mariam. coined as "Goodbye Talk", could last a while. Sometimes even longer than normal discussions. Galiant didn't have that kind of patience. Especially not since her father promised he would spend alone time with her after work, but then he came home with two strangers and cooked them dinner. Granted, the dinner was lovely, but still. A promise is a promise and she was getting dangerously bored.They continued on and on. Galiant was tapping her foot, and then she noticed something on the step she was tapping. A rock. How strange. She leaned over to pick it up and looked it over. Suddenly, she got an idea. She looked over at her father, who was in deep conversation with the two strangers trying to part, and then she looked at the rock that was now sitting at the palm of her hand. A wicked smile began to crease on her face. She held the rock between two fingers and slowly raised her hand behind her head. She then shot her arm forward and released the rock. It soared through the air in a excitingly fast fashion before making a knock sound as it hit Pierre at the back of his head.Their conversation came to a brief stop as Pierre bucked slightly forward when he was hit by the rock. He stood there shocked for a about three seconds before posturing himself upright and rubbing the new lump that formed at the back of his head where the rock impacted. The two strangers leered over Pierre's shoulders to look at Galiant. She covered her mouth as a slight chuckle freed itself from her. She knew she was in trouble but couldn't help the laugh that was trying to break free. Pierre began showing the two strangers out the door and said a farewell in their native tongue before gently closing the door and locking it. He Turned around to face Galiant and a sudden sense of trouble rushed through her. His face was stern."Galiant. Why did you do that?" Pierre said calmly as he slowly walked over to her with both his arms crossed."Because you were taking to long to-" She was saying before Pierre raised his right hand upward in a stern motion."Those were refugees from Bordrin. Their city is currently in ruins and they have to suddenly find a new home in a place completely alien to what they knew." Pierre said as he calmly put his hand down on her shoulder and sat next to Galiant on the stairs.Galiant bowed her head in shame. "But, they were getting in the way of us spending time together!" She said angrily."And I was giving them a meal, a friendly chat and directions to a place that they can find safe shelter for tonight." Pierre said calmly. "I was welcoming them into our fair city and showing them that they can have a chance here, like everyone else."She hung her head over her knees as she leaned her back against Pierre. She wanted to get angry, but couldn't, so she just sat there quietly, now sad. Pierre gently laid his hand upon her back."Some people don't have the luxury of a safe home, a good meal or a kind soul to guide them. It's the duty and privilege of the fortunate to help those less fortunate, just as it is the duty-""Of the strong to protect the weak..." Galiant finished his words before he could. She looked over at him quickly before placing her chin upon her knees with her arms wrapped around them. "You and mom always say that.""We don't just say it, dragonfly, we live by it. Words mean nothing without action, and action is the tool for change." Pierre said with a pat upon her back. "Now, would you say that your actions tonight brought the change you were looking for?""Well, it did get you to stop talking and pay attention to me..." She said with a quiet grumble to herself while looking away.Pierre stared at her for a few seconds as she looked up at him. His face looked serious for a moment but then he slowly started to laugh."What? What's so funny?" Galiant said while being genuinely confused. She turned to face him."You're just like your mother." Pierre said while laughing as he came to his realization. "You always think you're right, even when you're in trouble.""Funny..." Galiant said as she eased up, "She said the same thing about you!" She finished with a chuckle as Pierre paused and then burst out into laughter.She had his smile, but a mixture of his deep laugh and her mother's rare but cheerful laugh. It was contagious on both ends. She also had his eye color and hair color, a light to dark brown. She also had his thick eyebrows. She generally liked to keep her hair short but mostly because she hated keeping up with it. Besides, when she got into fights with the other kids in the neighborhood, it made it easier to see when a punch was coming her way. Her father was very diplomatic and often would rather look for solutions to the conflict rather than be the cause of one. Her mother was a Veteran from the Border Wars and a rogue hero. She is what is known as a Super, which I is a common term used to categorize people with unique super powers. In fact, that is why she wasn't going to be home tonight. She was out on a secret mission. She promised to tell Galiant all about it when she gets back, like she always does. Galiant had her mom's wide but stern eyes, her lips, curvy but straight hair type, and narrow facial features. She was shaping up to be a beautiful yet perfect mixture of both her parents, but with her own unique twist as far as personality goes."Cmon, dragonfly." Pierre said as he began to rise to his feet. "You now have my undivided attention. What would you like to do? Let me make it up you."Galiant pondered as she rose to her feet beside him. She placed her hand upon her chin and thought about it. They night is the limit and there are so many fun activities they could do. She could race down the stairs in a box with her father. She could practice her boxing moves on him. They could build a pillow fort. But, then again, she was kind of tired and in all honesty just wanted to relax with him."Why don't we watch a movie?" She said simply."Again?" Pierre said with a bit of desperation before he looked down to see Galiant's face glowing. "Okay." He said, defeated. "But which one?""You know the one!" Galiant said excitingly while bouncing in place."The Dragon-Slayer King?" Pierre said promptly, while being slightly exasperated.Galiant just nodded as she started to walk to the TV to put it on. Pierre followed and Galiant handed him up the remote like it was a sword. As he grabbed the remote and turned around, Galiant was already sitting down on the couch awaiting what she deemed to be a master piece. Of course, she would know better if she ever took the chance to see a different movie for once, but Pierre consistently watched it with her out of love. I should also mention that he had a hard time saying no to her. He sat next to her and put it on the TV. She fell asleep half-way through the movie of course and was leaning on her dad who was also asleep.(Later That Night...)She came in through the back door that went into the kitchen of the house. She was still in her black and grey combat costume. She quietly approached the living room from the kitchen, seeing the flash from the TV echoing through the dark. She saw her husband and her child snuggled up on the couch, both peacefully unaware of her entry. She went over to them and realized that both of them were snoring. She stood over them as she lowered her black mask to reveal a smile. She leaned down and gave Pierre a kiss on his forehead. He was still unaware of her. She then took a look at Galiant before she kissed her forehead as well."Good night, my heart." She said quietly while starting to stand straight before Pierre quickly reached out and grabbed her arm that was resting him him."Get your ass over here and join us..." Pierre said while his eyes were still closed."Yea!" Galiant said sluggishly.Mariam was shocked at first but simply moved in next to Pierre and wrapped herself in the moment before she threw her combat boots off and took off her gloves. Galiant reached out to place her hand upon her mom's before she went back to sleep."Good night, mom and dad, I love you." Galiant said while dozing off.Mariam looked over to Pierre as he leaned back. "We aren't going to be able to enjoy our beds tonight, are we?" She said quietly. Pierre just nodded and mouthed the words "nope" as he began to accept his fate."Good." Mariam admitted. She let herself relax after a long day. She watched the movie as familiar scenes passed through her view. Galiant's fascination with knights, swords and other general medieval things didn't shock her. In fact, one can argue that such a interest was genetic at this point.As the movie played on in the background, she took a moment to draw it all in. Never in a million years would she have imagined herself as a mom. Her entire life has been one short love affair after another with nothing holding her back besides her own inhibition's. The world was an open field for her to graze in. But now she is a mother and more than that, a wife. She didn't regret it, not even if she gave it a deeper thought. She loved her husband more than she loved herself. She loved Galiant to the point that if the whole world would stand against her daughter, she would fight it all just to see her happy. Such emotions often flooded her mind, leaving her anxious of losing them, or more so of losing herself in them, but she couldn't help how she felt even if she lied about it.She looked upon Galiant and saw herself. One day, that child will become a woman, but not just any ordinary woman. She would become a super, just like her mother and her ancestors before. She worried, but remembered that Galiant was already shaping up to be the kind of Hero this city would need. Galiant had no fear, and if she did, she conquered it quickly. Galiant welcomed challenges and hardly cried about failing, but kept getting back to her feet to rise above whatever she faced. Of course, she was only eight years old, but she was very different from all the others, even now. Mariam and Pierre wanted to foster these traits, for they already knew that one day, when she hit the right age, she would suddenly be thrown into a world where she had super strength, reflexes, regeneration and many others things and she would have to learn with how to live with such responsibilities. For one miss judgement of anger and she could easily kill someone. One false sense of pride, and she could put herself in more danger than she could ever hope to break free of. Galiant had pride, but confidence was what she needed.Mariam noticed her thoughts racing upon these concepts, awaiting the day she knew would come but forgetting to live in the day that was already here. She snapped out of it and gently patted Galiant's soft hair and watched her face slowly curve into a contented smile. Mariam leaned against Pierre and let her hand rest upon his chest, feeling his soft heartbeat with the palm of her open hand. She quickly fell asleep, letting her thoughts focus on this moment of peace.