My Precious

It was a cold winter evening and I had just finished teaching at Continuity's leading university, Symptote.

I was walking down the snow-covered lanes covered in a soft blanket of white and undisturbed snow, leaving deep footprints in the snow when I saw a small splotch of deep purple next to an alley.

Curious, I went and investigated it.

To my abject shock, it was a little human girl!

The poor creature had curled into a half-frozen ball and was covered only by a threadbare cloth and a violet bonnet.

She was spasming uncontrollably from cold and frostbite, her lips were blue, and her skin was nearly devoid of colour. It was a miracle she was still alive.

Some part of me I didn't know I had awoke, causing me to hurry and pick up the poor thing and dash home with it in my arms, going so far as to abandon my umbrella in the snow.

Once home, I tossed off my messenger bag that I carried paperwork in, and pulled out the blanket I stored in the ottoman in front of my reading chair in the corner.

I nimbly unfolded it and wrapped the frostbitten child in it, and cast a basic fireball to ignite the fireplace.

I'd never used the fireplace before, so it was a new experience for me to feel the heat of the flames wash over me.

It occurred to me that I didn't know how much heat human babies could handle, so in a bit of panic, I took several steps back.

Her shivering had nearly subsided, and her toothless mouth was curled up in an adorable grin.

I couldn't help but smile back, even though her eyes weren't open to see it. She was just too cute!

I used my foot to drag the ottoman to the front of the fireplace and sat down on it, holding her in my lap.

What do I do with her now?

I'd saved her life, now what?

Ah, food! I'd heard from my human colleagues that human babies needed milk!

But, where would I get human milk?

And, more importantly: How would I get it without unsavory rumors starting about me?

I decided to send a thrall of mine to abduct a single mother somewhere and provide her with housing and food for both herself and her child in exchange for her milk.

I linked myself to my most trustworthy thrall, Seventh, and issued him the order.

After I sent the order, I disconnected and it suddenly occurred to me that what I was doing for a human child seemed absurd.

I had never felt such a strong desire to help someone before, and it slightly confused me.

I searched myself for an answer as to why I was doing this, but I couldn't find a single hint of an answer.

My self-searching was suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door and a mental call from Seventh.

"Enter." I called coldly, not moving from my spot for fear of awakening the little child that slept peacefully in my lap.

A fearful mother and a newborn child entered, led by the impassive Seventh.

The mother was skinny and pallid, clearly malnourished, and her baby was no better.

Both were covered in dirt and grime, and their clothing was thin and did little against the cold of winter.

From the looks of it, she was either a whore Seventh picked up off the street, or homeless.

'Master, I brought you a homeless lady that no one would ever think to look for.' Seventh's said mentally, proving one of my guesses correct.

"Thank you, Seventh." I said, aloud. "Leave us."

'As you wish.' Seventh bowed deeply and swiftly exited the room.

"Why have you brought us here, bloodsucker?" The woman demanded, clutching her baby against her chest. "Do you want to make a meal of us?"

I praised her courage mentally as much as I inwardly screamed for her to lower her voice.

"I've not desire for thine flesh, nor thine blood." I responded softly, gesturing for her to come near. "Thy child trembles from cold. Come, sit by my hearth."

The woman didn't move. Instead, she wearily eyed me from where she stood by the door.

Rather than ask a second time, I used telekinesis to cover her mouth as I picked her up and set her gently by the fireplace.

"It does thy child no good, suffering of cold." I said sternly. "Warm thyself as I explain why I summoned thee."

I released the telekinesis preventing her from moving, but kept the energy keeping her mouth shut. I couldn't have her waking up the child. My child.

"Doth thou see what lays upon my lap?" I asked. "I've decided I am to raise this child."

The woman's eyes bugged when she saw the sleeping face of my child.

"I am unable to provide this child with sustenance 'fore she may eat as thine own kin." I explained.

"In exchange for thine help, thou shalt receive home, sustenance, clothes, and a place of rest."

The woman stared at me, dazed by my words.

"I plea for thine help in this matter." I gazed into the woman's eyes, seeing fear, hatred, disgust, and... Determination. "Dost thou wish to help?"

She nodded vigorously, standing and moving closer to me.

I smiled, releasing the telekinetic gag on her mouth.

"Does-does she have a name?" The woman asked tentatively.

It struck me that I had not decided upon a name for her.

I thought for a second before the memory of how I came across her replayed in my mind. The violet splotch that saved her life.

"Thy name shalt be Violet." I said, smiling as I looked upon my adoptive daughter. "First daughter of the House of Midnight, Violet Midnight."