"I do not know that her being sorry to leave her home is really against her, for, with all its faults, it was her home, and she cannot as yet understand how much she has changed for the better; but then there is moderation in all things"
The General sat across his carriage from a ginger girl, not yet two years in age. She looked rather confused, yet calm as she knew the blonde man from her time living with him when her mother vanished off. Perhaps it was another time like that, another time when her beloved mother would return again for her- yet now she felt rather lonely. No matching boy sat besides her, mellow as always. The child was alone with the General, who gazed at her a moment more before he offered his hand across the narrow carriage to her, allowing the child to take the hand and examine it carefully as drool marked his fingers as the little girl's had been in her mouth only a moment before.
Hamelin gave a brief sigh and removed a handkerchief from his coat, leaning forward to the Claith child to dry her damp fingers before doing the same for his own. The girl tilted her head like a curious puppy at the man, giving a small whine before holding her arms up for him. Hamelin pondered a moment before sweeping his arms under the child's and scooping her into his lap to sit.
"Mama?" The girl asked after a moment of peace, watching the window to see the countryside passing.
"Your mama isn't here, little one," Hamelin responded after several minutes, lifting his hand to rest it on the child's ginger hair. It was lighter red like her mother's, yet her eyes were dark mirrors of her father's. "You'll live with me now, Winnie."
"Mama?"
"No mama."
".. Papa?" The girl turned her head to look up towards the blonde man, her eyes wide with sudden fear. Yet Hamelin shook his head, looking down at his charge who's eyes welled up immediately at the news, sniffles escaping her. The d'Vaud gave a quiet shush as he lifted the girl higher to rest her at his shoulder, his hand resting on her back in an attempt of comforting her.
"Your mama will visit," he murmured into her ear, leaning his cheek against the child's with a sigh, "she'll return and be here very often to see you. Your mama has not forgotten you."
He could hope his words were true as the girl gave another murmur of 'mama' before sinking into the warmth of her new guardian. Her breathing slowed till it was quiet and steady unlike her near panicked at the realization that she was no longer under her mother's broken wing. The General held the witch's daughter close and prayed to whatever was above that his friend, the witch, did not cause herself anymore pain- for he did not have much hope that she could survive it.
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