01-18-2022, 10:57 PM
[align=center][div style="width: 470px; text-align: justify; font-family: andale mono; font-size: 7pt; letter-spacing: 2.5px; word-spacing: 1px; line-height: 14px;"]The fire was crackling and, for the first time in a long time, Edmund felt at peace.
Once Edmund had finished bathing Christian and Charlotte (and dressing them in their usual matching pyjamas) to prepare them for bedtime, Ida wandered into the lounge with a proposition to make. It sounded more an eager plea, one which did not at all frustrate Edmund despite the fact he already had his hands so full handling two excitable three year olds. ❝ How do you play the guitar? ❞ She had initially enquired with a curious wrinkle of her nose. With furrowed brows, Eddie peered up towards his half-sister from where he crouched on the floor, jumbling up puzzle pieces for the twins to figure out whilst they warmed themselves up nearby the fire. ❝ Well, ❞ Giving Christian a gentle ruffle of the hair, he rose to his feet before fitting the fireguard across the fireplace — he had always been a very thoughtful father, doing everything in his power to protect his children — and only then did he turn his attention to Ida.
❝ It takes practice, and maybe a little bit of help to get you started. ❞ Quirking a gentle brow Ida’s way, the young girl huffed before glancing down at her niece and nephew. ❝ Do you think I’d be good at the guitar? ❞ She asked, cocking her head to the side expectantly. So that was what this was all about, huh? ❝ Oh, of course. How about you go grab my guitar from my bedroom and when you get back I can teach you a couple of chords? Sounds good? ❞ Ida barely wasted a moment before excitedly scuttling off in search of Eddie’s treasured guitar. Whilst it meant that the twins would probably go to bed a little later than Eddie would have liked, they were already so immersed in figuring out the puzzle together that the extra half an hour would do them no harm.
Soon Ida returned, guitar nearly weighing her down as she eagerly hopped onto the couch beside Eddie. And then, with his voice as soft spoken as always, he began to guide her through the basics of learning the guitar. Surprisingly, Ida picked up on it relatively quickly, granted she was only thirteen years old. It had been enough to earn Christian’s attention — unlike his sister, who was intent on finishing the puzzle — the young boy pushing himself up onto his feet to investigate. ❝ Can I play? Only once, Daddy, please?! ❞ He squeaked, resting his hand on Eddie’s knee before Ed nudged Christian gently over towards the guitar. ❝ All right, but only once, okay? ❞ Ida began grinning as she held the guitar in place, Christian leaning over to strum a discordant sound from the guitar before erupting into a giggle. ❝ You liked that? Well, maybe Ida can teach you when you’re a little older. How does that sound, Ida? ❞ He looked towards his sister, giving a gentle shrug her way as she beamed proudly. ❝ Obviously! ❞
It hadn’t taken long for the twins to settle down, both of them eventually clambering up onto the couch before falling asleep to the sound of Ida learning how to play Three Little Birds, slowly but surely. With gentle utterances, Eddie guided Ida through the simple chords, gently stroking Charlotte’s hair whilst she slept soundly with her head on his lap. In moments like these, Eddie was truly at peace from the war inside his mind, and those constant, raging wars out in the world beyond Flintlock Lodge. For now, close to his family, close to his children, Edmund would relax as much as his ever-racing mind would allow. Instead, it was in these moments where Eddie could shed the aloof and closed off front he was so exceptional at maintaining. The tiniest glimmer of a smile quirked at the corner of his lip and he praised Ida as she conquered a chord that she had been stuck on. Oftentimes, Eddie loved people too much yet never showed it enough but he was trying to change, if not for himself, if not for the people of Flintlock, but for his children who deserved a father that cared. He was not Alfred, after all.
He was by no means the perfect man — God, he was far from it — but he could look back at those mistakes, try and pick them up. Make certain that his children would never follow in his footsteps and make those same, many mistakes. He wanted to prevent it, but he could never truly prevent history from wanting to repeat itself. Who was he at the end of the day? Was he himself or was he merely the image of the man that he was trying to be? The man that was so desperately trying to be so gentle around his children, the man so eager to prove to them (and himself) that he was enough for them. Eager to prove that he was not the sinister man with blood on his hands, the reputation that had far superseded any attempts at a faultless fatherhood.
He was like his father in many ways, but at least his smiles were warm and his eyes lit up whenever he’d see those gleeful grins on his children’s faces. Eddie hoped that it would be enough for them. He hoped that he would be loved by them as much as Eddie cherished them.
Once Edmund had finished bathing Christian and Charlotte (and dressing them in their usual matching pyjamas) to prepare them for bedtime, Ida wandered into the lounge with a proposition to make. It sounded more an eager plea, one which did not at all frustrate Edmund despite the fact he already had his hands so full handling two excitable three year olds. ❝ How do you play the guitar? ❞ She had initially enquired with a curious wrinkle of her nose. With furrowed brows, Eddie peered up towards his half-sister from where he crouched on the floor, jumbling up puzzle pieces for the twins to figure out whilst they warmed themselves up nearby the fire. ❝ Well, ❞ Giving Christian a gentle ruffle of the hair, he rose to his feet before fitting the fireguard across the fireplace — he had always been a very thoughtful father, doing everything in his power to protect his children — and only then did he turn his attention to Ida.
❝ It takes practice, and maybe a little bit of help to get you started. ❞ Quirking a gentle brow Ida’s way, the young girl huffed before glancing down at her niece and nephew. ❝ Do you think I’d be good at the guitar? ❞ She asked, cocking her head to the side expectantly. So that was what this was all about, huh? ❝ Oh, of course. How about you go grab my guitar from my bedroom and when you get back I can teach you a couple of chords? Sounds good? ❞ Ida barely wasted a moment before excitedly scuttling off in search of Eddie’s treasured guitar. Whilst it meant that the twins would probably go to bed a little later than Eddie would have liked, they were already so immersed in figuring out the puzzle together that the extra half an hour would do them no harm.
Soon Ida returned, guitar nearly weighing her down as she eagerly hopped onto the couch beside Eddie. And then, with his voice as soft spoken as always, he began to guide her through the basics of learning the guitar. Surprisingly, Ida picked up on it relatively quickly, granted she was only thirteen years old. It had been enough to earn Christian’s attention — unlike his sister, who was intent on finishing the puzzle — the young boy pushing himself up onto his feet to investigate. ❝ Can I play? Only once, Daddy, please?! ❞ He squeaked, resting his hand on Eddie’s knee before Ed nudged Christian gently over towards the guitar. ❝ All right, but only once, okay? ❞ Ida began grinning as she held the guitar in place, Christian leaning over to strum a discordant sound from the guitar before erupting into a giggle. ❝ You liked that? Well, maybe Ida can teach you when you’re a little older. How does that sound, Ida? ❞ He looked towards his sister, giving a gentle shrug her way as she beamed proudly. ❝ Obviously! ❞
It hadn’t taken long for the twins to settle down, both of them eventually clambering up onto the couch before falling asleep to the sound of Ida learning how to play Three Little Birds, slowly but surely. With gentle utterances, Eddie guided Ida through the simple chords, gently stroking Charlotte’s hair whilst she slept soundly with her head on his lap. In moments like these, Eddie was truly at peace from the war inside his mind, and those constant, raging wars out in the world beyond Flintlock Lodge. For now, close to his family, close to his children, Edmund would relax as much as his ever-racing mind would allow. Instead, it was in these moments where Eddie could shed the aloof and closed off front he was so exceptional at maintaining. The tiniest glimmer of a smile quirked at the corner of his lip and he praised Ida as she conquered a chord that she had been stuck on. Oftentimes, Eddie loved people too much yet never showed it enough but he was trying to change, if not for himself, if not for the people of Flintlock, but for his children who deserved a father that cared. He was not Alfred, after all.
He was by no means the perfect man — God, he was far from it — but he could look back at those mistakes, try and pick them up. Make certain that his children would never follow in his footsteps and make those same, many mistakes. He wanted to prevent it, but he could never truly prevent history from wanting to repeat itself. Who was he at the end of the day? Was he himself or was he merely the image of the man that he was trying to be? The man that was so desperately trying to be so gentle around his children, the man so eager to prove to them (and himself) that he was enough for them. Eager to prove that he was not the sinister man with blood on his hands, the reputation that had far superseded any attempts at a faultless fatherhood.
He was like his father in many ways, but at least his smiles were warm and his eyes lit up whenever he’d see those gleeful grins on his children’s faces. Eddie hoped that it would be enough for them. He hoped that he would be loved by them as much as Eddie cherished them.
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I'M OUT OF MY MIND, REPLAYING THE SCENE