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She was dumbfounded, her lips were at an absolute loss for words. What could she say?

This man had probably flown for miles, looking for her. She'd never seen him before, and yet, how did he know who she was? Had someone in the village around her mentioned something before?

Lia's eyes blinked to the little boy he was holding carefully against him.

The girl fumbled for some words, trying to force her mind to come up with something to say. Anything would be welcomed at the moment. At least to reassure herself that this guy at least knew something about the unconscious state of the kid.

"W-what?" She inched closer, hands silently reaching out, before retracting back to her sides, gently clenched into fists. Her eyes barely left the small form, with fluffy brown hair covering his face. "What happened?"

The man shrugged, shifting the boy in his arms so his head was rested against his shoulder. "If I knew, you would've been the first person I'd tell." The sincerity in the male's salmon eyes made her bite her lip.

Ignoring her self-control, the young woman used her fingertips to brush his hair from his face, worried crimson eyes scanned over a little scratch across his forehead, showing that something had happened.

"Did you find him like this?" She asked, feeling the gathering crowds focusing on her and this outsider. If she were to be honest with herself, the new guy would still fit in better with her. Long, bright wings sprouted from his back. Broad shoulders and a sturdy frame. Wherever he came from, his body language showed dominance and authority.

Lia didn't want to jump to conclusions and say that he'd knocked the boy out, that'd be much too harsh of an accusation if it wasn't true.

The man dipped his head into a nod, his eyes watching her carefully as she examined the child.

Knowing that the crowd of fairies would want a say in what was going to happen, she let her hands slide back into her sleeves. "I-I was just heading home, follow me," she turned her back to the male as he spread his wings to their full extension before carefully wrapping himself and the boy up again. She turned her head, instead this time, and blinked carefully. "And then I'll decide what I need to do."

What was she talking about? She was a craftswoman. She wasn't a nanny or a mother looking for a child to adopt or take care of. She hadn't even planned to raise a baby of her own. She wanted to explore first, settle down with a lovely husband second. Her mind was getting out of the village, exploring the world beyond the underbrush and thick, winding roots. She wanted to see the sky from different points of view, climb trees, try out her flight suit! With a kid, she couldn't do those things.

Her steps were quick, her mind was racing as she brushed past others, trying to get home as soon as she could.

Normally, the girl would've taken all night to get home. Just admiring the beauty of the night, of the stars that smattered against the sky like the freckles that lined her cheeks and arms. Brushing her bangs from her eyes once more, just out of habit by now, he movements were nearly just bodily. Her mind really was elsewhere.

If he'd come looking for her, who else was she supposed to give the kid to? Her parents? She couldn't... the boy would have to be her responsibility. She couldn't pass him off to anyone else. Wingless, a kid just like she'd been.

The moment he woke, he was probably going to be terrified.

Exhausted, scared, confused.

She'd been the same way when Markus had found her out on the forest floor; sobbing too heavily to really notice where she was.

Taking a turn, the girl started up a winding staircase looking almost as if it'd been carefully carved out from the trees itself, small little lightning bugs giving the stairwell a little more of a relaxing nature.

Her eyes scanned the ground without really looking at it, Lia's heart was hammering against her ribs like a flock of birds trying to escape their cage. Closing her eyes for a moment, she needed to straighten herself out.

Another deep breath, the craftswoman looked to her hands. They were shaking, but being well aware that he was just a kid. Nothing more; she'd been in his position and she could do her best to comfort or ease his fears.

Hardly realizing she'd reached her small little house already, she used the small steps she'd built herself out of smooth pine wood planks and sawed off branches as a railing. Quickly, silently counting the steps up like usual, Lia rested a hand against the door. Rounded around the top and straight against the bottom. She moved her hand to the handle before pushing it open silently.

Ten. Ten steps into her home.

The heavy steps of the man behind her echoed in her ears as she slipped her flats off, leaving them by the door. Quickly stripping from her overcoat and setting it against the hook she'd bent into place, she went and grabbed a match, swiping it quickly against her thigh before letting it rest against a pine candle.

Blowing it out, she set the candle in the centre of the open room.

A few open windows overlooked the entire village, looking as if it were meant to be an old watchtower, swiftly made into something newer. Cushioned benches lined under the windows where she'd sit and read in the mornings, before she could flip them up where they hid her journals, more crafty plans and extra anything.

The room was a little circular, having a little wooden kitchenette settled comfortably in the corner, stools with little cotton filled pillows on each seat. Making sure that it was soft enough to sit there for hours on end as she sketched new inventions.

Down a little hall opened up into one door at the very end, which led into her very disorganized room, while the one on the right, led into a spare bedroom usually used by her parents if they ever asked to stay the night. She wasn't exactly sure why they stayed the night with her, but she really wasn't complaining... it was always really nice having her adopted family so close to her.

They gave her a feeling of security and comfort.

Speaking of such things, she turned back to the male as he looked around her little home. Lia felt a little uncomfortable as her house got the low-down. Not that it compared anything to her workspace. The messiest room was easily her bedroom; but that wasn't what was on the table right now.

"Come on," she looked to man as he uncurled his wings, revealing the kid back into the flickering light of the candle. "We can lay him down in my spare room. He should be comfortable enough there."

The unnamed fairy dipped his head into a nod, quickly following after the teal-haired female as she dipped down into the only hallway. As much as he wanted to focus his attention on the matter at hand, he couldn't help but let his eyes wander the back of Lia. The only two wingless people he'd seen had been this little boy and her.

How'd be find her? He'd gone to some others, in a separate village asking if there was someone that could take the kid into their home. Most of them were distressed by seeing his lack of wings, so much so they had turned down his request without a second thought. Without evening bothering with the kid, who didn't seem to be any older than ten..

Almost losing complete faith that someone would look after the kid, worried that he'd be the one to help him, someone had pulled him aside. Quickly muttering to him, from a dark alley, that there had been another wingless child found years ago. He'd been told her name was Lia and in what village she called home, but nothing more. No details before he'd set off to find her. Of course he'd go to someone that had the same problem.

Maybe problem wasn't the right word.

He was nearly amazed with how she could function without wings herself. He didn't know what he'd do if he'd suddenly woken up one morning without them. He'd certainly be either a wreck or completely lost.

Lia pushed open the door, flicking her teal hair away from her eyes and stepping aside.

He looked around. A large rounded window stood right at the foot of the bed. Another bench under said glass pane that seemed to be easily unlocked by a small pin and latch. If he didn't know any better, he would say that the entire window pushed right out. Wouldn't tat be dangerous to have a kid in this room?

Heading further into the room, he folded his wings against his back, just now realizing they'd been open since he'd stepped into her home. Gently, he adjusted the boy from his shoulder and made sure his head rested comfortably against the cotton pillow. The softness of the bed was sure to be just fine for him.

As he backed away, Lia, in turn, walked closer, her bare feet making no sound against the smooth wood. She laid a hand against his back, nodding towards the door. He knew what she meant and turned away, quietly leaving through the door. The girl took a longer look at the little brunet boy, his head tilted away from her as she, too, backed up. Shutting the door, she closed her eyes and let out a steady breath.

Her life was about to change, she could feel it deep in her bones.

Pushing off, she padded her way down the hall leading back towards the main sitting room. She looked over as the guy wandered around her living space, before settling and leaning against the windowsill, peering out into the night. Instead of saying anything more, she quickly walked over and leaned with him. "I have an idea on why you brought him to me," she admitted, although, it wasn't hard to figure out if you were to take a good look at both her and the boy. "He's just like me. Wingless, alone."

The man looked over to her, blinking thoughtfully. "You don't seem all that alone," he scanned the outside of the area, the small differing lights of many candles and lightning bugs from further below.

Lia pulled her hair from her ponytail, skillfully tying the black ribbon around her wrist as she breathed. "It doesn't seem that way, does it?" There was a slight pause in the room as she took a moment to recollect her thoughts. Turning around, she leaned on her elbows and looked out against her kitchenette, the candle flickering gently. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, he'd beaten her to it.

"Ashwin," he said, his gruff voice taking on a smoother tone. Her eyebrows raised at the sudden revelation of his name. His dark, black hair seemed to be a little mussed up, now only noticing that as she took the time to really examine the newcomer. Not that she didn't care for what he looked like, but with the more pressing matters that had been pushed into her hands, she needed to focus more on what she was going to do now.

She smiled softly, fixing her teal hair over one shoulder. Holding out a hand, she looked up to him, gentle eyes fixing on his. "Lia," of course, he already knew this, but it just felt more.. professional to introduce herself as well. His hand enveloped hers simply and gave her a firm shake, before releasing and letting his hand fall back to the sill.

Fingers running skillfully and silently over the grains in the wood. Marking out the years the tree had been growing for. It seemed like an eternity.

"Who told you about me?" She finally asked, the question had been burning into the back of her mind. She thought only the people within her village knew who she was, but apparently that had been proven almost completely wrong. Ashwin was an outsider, that much was obvious, but, from what place had he come from?

"A man from a village a couple miles east," he replied, he looked as if his thoughts were coming flooding back. "He told me there was another one like the boy, wingless, who'd been found years ago. Said the name was Lia, and I had to assume that it was you. The only one that, well, couldn't fly."

She grinned softly, before it fell from her lips. So, someone else had known about her? She guessed it wasn't very common to find someone without wings, news spread fast, or she had to assume so.

Lia nodded her head gently, taking in the new information. "No one else would take him in?"

"They all looked too scared of having to deal with a flightless child," his tone was nonchalant. "Rather disappointing, actually."

"I can agree with you there."

The silence that hung for a while was rather peaceful, as if she enjoyed just sitting there in the quiet. Relaxing and watching out the window. It was a lovely clear night, that much she knew for sure, and Lia was more than happy to stargaze from her home in the trees.

Markus and Thea had helped her build the house. Carving out the hallway and the living space with harmless magic, making sure that the tree still sustained the life it had been given. Lia's presence only helped strengthen it's force.

A sharp sound caught her attention almost instantly, a small cry found it's way out from the spare bedroom before a thunk to the floor. Panicked scraping against the wood made Lia's eyes spring right to Ashwin's, before breaking from her current spot and hurrying down the hallway, pushing open the door swiftly.

There, she noticed the kid had huddled himself into a corner, knees curled against his chest as his arms kept them tightly tucked there. Instead of letting Ashwin push into the room like he seemingly wanted to do, she silently asked him to go and retrieve the candle from the table. She had a feeling that having someone as intimidating as he could seem to be in the same room, wouldn't be a good idea.

From the darkness, she could tell that his eyes were wide and hesitant, the way his chest rose and fell unevenly seemed to prove her point. Stepping quietly into the room, Lia let herself drop to her knees smoothly, holding her hands out to show she meant no harm. It was a universal sign of peace.

The terror in those large hazel eyes was making her heart hurt, the wetness that seemed to glisten against the warm light of the candle, which had just appeared behind her, made her calm herself. If she stayed calm, then hopefully it'd rub off onto him.

"Wh-who are you?" He finally choked out, his young voice was so thick with tears and exhaustion.

The girl placed a hand against her chest. "My name's Lia," she spoke in almost a motherly tone, gentle and soft to listen to. "This, standing behind me, is Ashwin. He brought you to me."

The kid's eyes seemed to flick back to the male standing behind her. "W-what do you w-want from me?"

She licked her lips. "We don't want anything from you, Sweetheart, we want to help, but the only way we can do that, is if you trust us. Even just a little bit."

This wasn't exactly how Lia had wanted their first meeting to go, but she'd keep it like this if that's how he'd rather have it. Not wanting to have them approach, that was perfectly reasonable. She wouldn't want to be neared by unknown people either. When Markus had gotten too close to her their first meeting, she had freaked out. Wanting nothing more than to get away from the stranger.

Ashwin set the candle down beside Lia, before following her down into a crouch, letting one knee rest against the ground and a hand keeping himself balance. No use toppling over, what help would that be?

She watched as the boy used the palm of his hand to wipe at the tears escaping down his flushed cheeks, the poor kid, her heart was aching to just comfort him...

"I want m-my brother," the voice was quiet, showing he was desperate.

Her eyes flicked to Ashwin. "There was another?" Her undertone silently saying you left the other kid behind?

He shook his head, raising his hands. "I found only him, I didn't even know there was another out there. I would've done something else if there was." The accusation had been harsh, but Ashwin understood her reasoning.

"Chin up kiddo," she silently pulled herself a little closer, wanting nothing more than to just ease the fear of being alone in a world unknown. "We can help you find your brother.. we just have to know where to start." For this, she'd rather not have to deal with their whole village going on a search party. One, that was dangerous, and two, barely anyone even left the bushes leading out there. If anything, she'd leave this task up to herself. It'd definitely be a good time to try out the flight suit of hers, see if it actually worked the way she hoped it would.

That seemed to snag his attention, those sweet, teary eyes focused completely on her. One arm was wrapped around himself protectively, as the other continued to swipe at the tears still rolling freely. "Y-you can..?"

Ashwin stepped in this time. "Of course we can," except, without the harsh tone she thought he was going to use, she blinked to him. "But we can start.. tomorrow maybe. See what we can do. Right now, though, I think some sleep would suit you better off."

The boy's eyes flicked from Ashwin, to Lia, back to Ashwin, to Lia a final time. He nodded quietly.

Pushing herself into a stand, she kept her hands up, showing that she didn't want to hurt him, instead, when she got closer, she held a hand out to him. "Why don't we go get you clean up, then you can come right back here to bed, okay?" She was well aware that he wasn't a toddler, but hey, when a motherly instinct kicked in, you couldn't help but a be a little more coddling than usual. He didn't seem to care, or if anything, mind.

Instead, he carefully accepted her hand, his other moving from around his side and she barely caught the glimpse of metal shinning from under his jacket in the flickering candlelight. Right now was no time to bring that up, so she ignored it for the time being.

Helping the brunet into a stand, she kept their hands interlocked. The house wasn't a big one, but it was actually kind of nice to finally have some physical contact. That and she could watch over him.

Gently leading him out through the door, she opened a door down the hall to show a small basin of warm water, glistening inside. Pulling up a little stool, she set it at the footing of the dip and she stood back, sort of just watching by the door. Lia really didn't mean to crowd him, so giving him the space needed as he dipped his hands into the water before scrubbing off whatever else he wanted or needed to do, she actually found herself smiling a little bit.

Yeah, her life would be changed, but in the best possible way. She could tell that already.

"You have a name, kiddo?" She blinked to him, gentle crimson eyes smoothing over his form.

Reaching for the towel just out of reach, he looked back to her as he finished off with his hand. "Sam," he replied quickly tucking the towel back into it's proper place.