(Untitled)

[ahogarse]

The lake is haunted.  You know this by now, don't you?

The lake is haunted by a little boy, down by the water, fishing around in the reeds for bugs and beetles.

[ooc: given that for no apparent reason I have started typing in french instead of spanish, except that it's late, I'm thinking it's bedtime.  Slowtimes abound >.>]

Comments

[a_poor_guardian]

In the early evening, Archibald walks outside. He's directing his steps to the apple tree Mary planted outside the greenhouse, but when he sees the boy in the water he stops and stands very still.

[ahogarse]

Santi glances up and shrinks into the reeds.

Looking possibly a lot more afraid than Archibald feels. Santi isn't supposed to be caught by people.

[a_poor_guardian]

Archibald isn't precisely a stranger to ghosts. For ten years he thought he saw Lilias hovering just at the corner of his vision, or heard her voice just too far away to recognize the words.

This ghost startled him at first, but it seems so timid itself. Archibald bends forward a little, and says gently, "You don't need to fear me, child."

[ahogarse]

"Hola."

Peeking out. He's still moving carefully.

[a_poor_guardian]

Archibald only knows basic phrases in Spanish, although because he is near-fluent in Italian and French, he can usually comprehend enough Spanish to get by from cognates.

"Buenas noches," replies Archibald in a strong English accent. He adds, in Italian, "[Do you only speak Spanish, child?]"

[ahogarse]

"English more."

Though he recognizes the sound of Italian.

He's standing on the bank now, sinc Archibald doesn't look like he's going to scream.

[a_poor_guardian]

It's a poor little boy, alone and looking lost; why should Archibald scream?

Archibald lowers himself creakily to his knees, to meet the ghost at eye level. "Have you a name?"

[ahogarse]

"Santi."

He shifts his weight from foot to foot.

"You?"

[a_poor_guardian]

"Archibald Craven."

Archibald attempts a smile; on his face, wrinkled from old pain, the expression doesn't look quite complete.

"Are you alone here? Do you have friends? Family?"

[ahogarse]

"Adopted. Huerofano de- war."

He's hoping this makes sense. Archibald looks like he knows about this sort of thing.

[a_poor_guardian]

It has been some years since the last major war, and the scholars confidently proclaim that the age of great wars is over.

(The year, for Archibald Craven, is 1906.)

But Archibald knows about war from history and story, and he has adopted a ward himself.

"Then you did find a family. I'm glad."

[ahogarse]

"Le Chiffre. Il me- take care."

Santi's complete adoration goes to him, because. Yes.

[a_poor_guardian]

Archibald doesn't know the name, but he knows the language. "[Do you speak French, then?]"

[ahogarse]

"No."

Shakes his head. He just tries and things come out wrong. Bar doesn't do his language very well, because he keeps expecting to sound like what he did.

"Es su nombre."

[a_poor_guardian]

Making sense of the Spanish, Archibald says, "Then I am glad that you have him, and I hope that he is a good guardian to you."

Using both hands, he pushes himself to his feet. "I need to go home now, to see to my own son and the ward I have adopted. It has been..." Archibald hesitates over the words, but it's true, isn't it? "... a pleasure to meet you."

[ahogarse]

Santi smiles at him, and nods his head quickly.

"Come back have visit con mi amigo, se llama Dedito, es un salamanannder."