You Must Hear Your Name First...

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 15456]

 

 

 

 

“I knew you’d be late.”

 

Ericka scowled from her bed at Rakim as he poked his head up from the staircase. She was cradling a small bundle of blankets in her arms with a few selected loved ones surrounding the bed. One of them, John Lyons, leaned closer towards Ericka making faces at the bundle causing it to wail.

 

“I’m sorry…I had business to attend to. Ya know that.” Rakim ran his metal clad hands over his dirt caked face as he hesitantly approached the bed. “So is it…?”

 

“A girl. Ahem..-” Ericka looked about the others in the room. “I need to speak with Rakim alone.  Ich danke dir. All of you for coming.” She looked down to the baby wrapped in blankets and began humming a soft, highlander tune to her offspring to calm it. The baby fell silent, its eyes still clenched shut having not opened yet.

 

Everyone began to leave, including John Lyons who looked visibly disappointed being kicked out of his own house. Only Rakim remained. He paced around the bed towards the bedside and looked down at the baby girl. Her skin complexion was an obvious mix of her Waldenian mother and Qalasheen father. Rakim couldn’t help but smile down at his and Ericka’s shared creation.

 

“Were you pretending to be a mercenary again?”

 

Rakim’s smile faded at Ericka’s question. “We need money if we ever want to move out of John’s home.”

 

“I’d rather be poor and have a full family over being a widow and a single mother. I need a husband and she needs a father. You told me you’d start living for your family now.” Ericka replied coldly as her gaze fell to the baby. She let out a sigh before continuing. “I can’t force you to change. But I’m pleading you do. I’m tired of worrying about you every day you’re out and come home late. I don’t find out until the next morning whether or not you made it back home safe and sound.”

 

“I messed us up. I need to rebuild for us. I ain’t lettin’ us live poor.” Rakim fumbled with his words and a sound of irritability was in his voice. “I’m gettin’ the feelin’ you don’t have faith in me.”

 

“I do. But I also know you aren’t immortal, love. And I don’t blame you for any of this. I blame Leopold. If you’d just let me, I could talk to Annabel..”

 

“No. No, no.” Rakim shook his head in response.

 

“I followed you to Haria. I left everything here including all of our friends. You said you’d be here for us but you’re always going back out there and expecting me to stay home. I’m joining the Holy Order of Seraphim. We need to do this together now.”

 

“You’re right.” Rakim looked down with a solemn expression, a shame welling up inside of him.

 

It was rather obvious to Ericka. After a moment of silence she leaned up carefully to hold the baby out towards Rakim. “Hold her. She needs to meet her father.”

 

Rakim’s eyes widened as he carefully held the baby. “Am I doing it right?”

 

Ericka lets out a soft, tired chuckle. “Ja. You are.”

 

Rakim smiles at the baby he cradled in his arms. “Hey…-Salaam.”

 

The baby’s eyes remained closed as he spoke to her. It let out a nearly inaudible whine, perhaps sensing Rakim’s uneasiness. Rakim looked back to Ericka and hesitantly began speaking. “I need to speak with her alone.”

 

“Rakim!”

 

“I need to talk to her properly...Please.”

 

“...Just don’t be gone too long. I want to hold her again too.”

 

“I’ll be right outside. Real quick.” Rakim gestured towards the balcony before he began to make his way out.

______________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

The door was shut behind Rakim as he held the baby, looking up to the stars that illuminated the night skies over Bastion. While the Westerlands had changed since Rakim’s early years in Death’s End, two things remained constant. Undead and the stars. The stars were like little diamonds too far to reach. Rakim looked back down to the baby who had gone silent. She began to grab at Rakim’s hand and her baby strength surprised the Qali.

 

“Woah there, don’t break me kid.” Rakim smirked. “You’re gonna’ be a strong woman one day. Like a diamond…-My baba told me we were all diamonds in the rough. But you’re just perfect, aren’t ya? Woogie woogie!” Rakim leaned his face closer to the baby’s to rub his nose against her’s.

 

A feminine chuckle was heard from inside the home.

 

“Nosey woman!” Rakim shouted back before Ericka burst into louder laughter. The baby began to cry in his arms but Rakim turned back to her and began to rock her gently. However she did not stop crying. “Hey, hey...don’t do this. I’m a good guy.”

 

The baby continued wailing and flickers of candlelight were visible from the windows of nearby homes as the crying had awoken the neighbors.

 

“Stop that..please. C’mon.” Rakim continued to rock the baby back and forth, softening his voice to try and sound more pleasant to the ears of the newborn. “I always talked about bein’ a baba and all but I ain’t ever planned on what kind of baba I’d be. I dunno’ what I gotta’ do so please stop cryin’. Maybe no one knows what they gotta’ do at first but...hey!”

 

The baby continued wailing in his arms, its face turning a hint of red.

 

“Rakim, what’s wrong?” Ericka called from inside with a worrisome tone.

 

“Nothing!” Rakim replied before looking back to the newborn. “Listen, stop it. You...you must hear your name first.”

 

Her cries began to settle down but they did not cease completely.

 

“You are Aaliyah Jumaana Yar.” Rakim held the baby up into the air over the balcony. The baby was now completely silent as her father spoke. “Daughter of Rakim Abdulrashid Yar and Ericka Yar. Granddaughter of Nafis Yar and Sahárfajhari Yar…-you must always honor your ancestors. The ones who love you and watch over you. Your name is your spirit. Your name is your shield. Rakim raised the baby higher, now above him. “ALLAHUAKBAR! Behold, Aaliyah Yar. The only thing that is greater than you!”

 

 

Aaliyah’s emerald eyes opened wide as she stared up towards the stars above, glistening with wonder and astonishment.

 

“I promise I’ll do my best... I promise.”

 

Inside the house, Ericka smile contently from where she laid and passed out. It had been a long, long time since she was able to sleep knowing her loved ones were safe and where they belonged. With her.

((PM me if you’re interested in playing Aaliyah, Imibee says no gender benders. I can give out info on House Yar for those interested. Don’t be shy if you’re a new player. There might be more children spaces available after Aaliyah too but all my sons are picked atm.))

[Taketheshot 3834]

12 minutes ago, Bad Guy Shady said:

I promise I’ll do my best... I promise.”

Walter shakes his head, hand in Palm in the seven skies "I dunno you fucked up my kid pretty bad."

[King of Cartography 546]

6 hours ago, Bad Guy Shady said:

 

“...Just don’t be gone too long. I want to hold her again too.”

 

“I’ll be right outside. Real quick.” Rakim gestured towards the balcony before he began to make his way out.

 

John Lyons, Maker of maps and self proclaimed godfather of Aaliyah did not know his house had a balcony. He shakes his fist at those very same stars and silently curses Annabel Victoria, the woman who sold him the house, for not telling him about this balcony. He trudges off into the cold Westerlands night that was filled with the undead. He thinks back to happier days, when he wasn't kicked out of his own home by squatters.

[cablam 477]

Moved to The Great Library. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.

 

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