Julian Wolflace: Why Did I Even Get Reincarnated?

He opens his eyes to find himself being swaddled and handed to a sweaty but beautiful woman, who smiles weakly and whispers to him.

"Welcome to the world, my little one."

A rugged man with a strong jawline and tired eyes looks on, standing in a small, dimly lit bedroom with wooden beams and a thatched roof.

The babe's small hands grasp the woman's finger, and he lets out a faint cry as he takes in the unfamiliar surroundings. The woman, Kuina, gently traced his hand, her kind blue eyes locking onto his as she whispered affectingly.

"Hello... Julian..."

The man, Lael, stepped forward, his expression softening as he looked at his newborn son, his voice low and gentle as he too spoke.

"Indeed, welcome to the world, lad."

"Eira, come see your new baby brother. Julian."

Lael spoke with a big grin before lifting the weary four year old girl up into his arms. He carried her over to the bed where his exhausted wife was resting with the newborn boy cradled against her breasts.

"Baby brother?"

Eira questioned thoughtfully, was that the reason momma was yelling relentlessly for hours on end? The thought of something, or someone causing her momma such unimaginable pain sickened the poor little fairy. Yet, they seemed so...

Kuina appeared to be happy, smiling even, though visibly exhausted. Still, Eira felt sad for her tired mother.

"That?"

She finally asked, mixed with curiosity and bluntness. Staring down at the white haired boy with vibrant eyes. He looked uncannily like a wrinkly squished raisin to Eira.

For a newborn, Julian's eyes truly were a vibrant shade of green, much like his father's. His snow white hair, he got that from his mother though.

"Come now Eira dear, you two will be inseparable before you know it. I believe that much."

Kuina smiled tiredly, reaching a hand out to gently pet her adopted daughter's unruly golden curls of hair.

Eira's eyes fluttered, a hazy mixed array of sky blue orbs stared back with mixed emotions at the newborn boy. Eira's cheeks puffed slightly, clearly having a distasteful reaction as jealousy evidently began to rear it's ugly head.

"If you say so, momma..."

Though the given affection easily swayed the toddler to a degree. She leaned herself forward over her poppa's arms to make it easier for her momma to play with her hair. Still, her eyes scrutinized the unwanted sibling she'd just received.

Lael chuckled, gently placing Eira on the bed beside Kuina, who was now stroking her daughter's hair, a look of adoration on her face. The newborn Julian let out a tiny yawn, his green eyes fluttering closed as he snuggled into his mother's chest...

~

All seemed to be well between the small family of four. A routine quickly became established in the coming days where Lael would take Eira about the farm with him, giving both Julian and Kuina time to rest and recover in the small thatched roof home.

"Now Eira, you're a big sister now. So we have to be extra careful around your momma and the baby now. She needs our help around the farm now more than ever."

Lael spoke with a kind smile in his daughter's direction.

Eira's small butterfly-esque wings flapped with each step that she took. Gliding down with each failed attempt to make a semblence of flight; exercising the back muscles repeatedly were her best chances to achieve any type of airborne moments. Her sleepy gaze held over the wheat fields that consumed most of their estate.

"Why... why did momma have to have him though?"

Curiosity laced Eira's tone after days of brooding silence while aiding her mom with whatever her four year old self could do. Delivering food, taking care of the bed, making sure momma was comfortable. All the while, glaring at her little competition for her mom's loving affection. Her young mind was too pure to process how he had come to be born into existence, nor how her adopted parents could be so happy to have him, especially with all the crying throughout the day and night.

Lael scratched the dark stubble covering his jawline and tried to find words on how to explain to his four year old just why Kuina had come to be with another baby in the house.

"Well... you know how we pair up the girl horses with boy horses and then after about a year, a baby horse - a foal is born? It's kinda sorta like that. Your momma wanted another baby, she's always wanted for you to have brothers and sisters you could grow up with."

Lael was struggling and failing drastically at his explanation but he had to try anyway, moving his calloused hand to his unruly scarlet hair to scratch the mess of it whilst formulating his explanation to the best of his abilities.

"Is that why I would hear weird sounds late at night?"

She whispered bluntly. No filter or hesitation, Eira had heard similar noises from the horses in in the barn. It always gave her wild chills and goosebumps, avoiding the area once those sounds ensued. Even when waking up late at night, she would sometimes hear something eerily similar coming from her parents bedroom whilst the furniture audibly creaked and groaned. Often easily frightened by those sounds, she would hide herself under the covers of her bed from start to end in the hopes to sleep. If that's the 'call' to make babies - her tired expression soured at the thought as her small mind attempted to fill in the puzzle with her childish imagination.

Lael tensed up, a sheepish look crossing his expression before he coughed and cleared his throat into his balled up fist.

"Ahem - let's not mention any of this to your mother, yeah?"

He would get quite the earful if Kuina came to find out just how badly he'd screwed up trying to explain where babies came from.

Eira stored that potential new rant that she'll be sure to pass on to her momma when the woman was feeling better. Her puzzle still had large gaps in it with vast amounts of missing pieces, but if she dared get another sibling to steal away her parents love - anytime in the near future would be much too soon.

The fairy girl huffed indignantly with her arms folding over her chest. Silence rolled through the farm with the ambient songs of bird chirps in the early morning.

Even as they made their way to the barn, Eira kept her father on his toes with no actual response or promise. Flapping her wings in a jump to climb over the workbench. She stared up at all the sharp tools used for harvesting the crops on their land.

"Would momma know more about it?"

Eira finally asked, biting the inside of her cheek. Her father's answer had been less than informative honestly.

Lael sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew he hadn’t handled that conversation well, and Eira was clearly still seeking answers. He carefully set down the basket of tools he was carrying and knelt down to meet her gaze.

Lael sighed, running a hand through his scarlet hair again. He knew he hadn’t handled that conversation all that well, and Eira was clearly still seeking answers. He carefully set down the basket of tools he was carrying and knelt down to meet her gaze.

“Alright, alright. Enough about… that. Let’s focus on something useful, yeah? We need to check on the wheat. See if it’s ready for harvesting. You’re a good helper, Eira. Strongest little fairy I know.”

He offered a charmingly small smile, hoping to steer the conversation towards safer territory.

“Think you can help me check for ripeness? We’re looking for golden heads, heavy with grain.”

He gestured towards the vast golden fields of wheat swaying gently in the breeze.

Eira's face lit up with excitement as she scampered off to fetch the harvesting tools. She soon returned with a small, rusty scythe and a basket, her wings fluttering as she tried to carry the load. Lael chuckled and took the scythe from her, handing her the basket instead.

"Good job, kiddo. Now, let's go see what we've got."

He led her out into the fields, the sun shining down on them as they made their way through the tall stalks of wheat. Most were still vastly green and the grains hadn't goldened fully. Lael had a surprisingly gentle touch as he examined a few of the stalks, humming thoughtfully under his breath.

"Still seems to need another couple of days. How's about we go check in on your momma and brother then?"

Lael chuckled, ruffling Eira's bouncy curls of golden hair.

"Momma."

Eira murmured softly, daring not to acknowledge her unwanted little challenger. She followed in tow with the taller male as they returned the harvesting tools to the barn. The usual blue in her eyes had shifted to a sullen pink glow revealing her stirring of emotions, brooding visibly to the thought of having to 'check in' on her 'brother.' It would definitely be rocky terrain between her and the baby for the meanwhile.

"Let's bring back some flowers for momma first, it'll make her smile... okay poppa?"

Lael's expression softened at Eira's suggestion, and he nodded in approval.

"That's a great idea, kiddo. You're always thinking of ways to make your momma happy, I'm sure she'll appreciate that. Let's go pick some wildflowers for her."

He led the way to a nearby patch of colourful blooms, and Eira's eyes lit up as she spotted the vibrant flowers. She began to carefully pluck a few, her pink-tinged glow dimming from her eyes slightly as she focused on the task.

As they walked back to the house, Lael couldn't help but notice the way Eira's expression seemed to soften ever so slightly at the thought of bringing flowers to her mother. Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to come around to the idea of having a new sibling.

Rushing on ahead from her father with the bundle of flowers clutched tightly in her small hands - Eira's wings fluttered with each step. She **** herself up the porch stairs hastily as if she were set in some kind of race.

"Momma!"

She chimed excitedly, hugging the semi crushed flowers against her chest as she entered her parents bedroom.

The tired woman was rocking slowly in the rocking chair near the window with Eira's direct competition suckling at their mother's tit. Eira's eyes clearly transitioned from blue to Violet and then a haughty pink, just from sight of him. She tried paying him no mind as she approached her mom with the colourful bundle.

"Look at what I picked for you momma, aren't they pretty?"

She asked proudly.

"Oh yes dear they're lovely - oh my, you've even managed to get some Lavender and Marigold in that bunch, good eye. The herbalist in town pays good money for those to make medicines you know. If you keep an eye out and pick them, you may even manage to earn yourself some pocket change from him in the future."

Kuina responded gently, extending a hand to lovingly cradle her daughter's rosy cheek.

Eira's expression softened slightly at her mother's praise, and she beamed with pride as she handed over the flowers. She seemed to momentarily forget about the... distraction in the room, her gaze focusing on her mother's gentle words and the warm smile on her face.

The baby's green orbed gaze met Eira's, and for a brief moment, they just stared at each other. Eira's expression was a mixture of curiosity and wariness, while the baby seemed to be taking in every detail of his big sister's face. Kuina's gentle rocking motion and soothing voice seemed to calm the atmosphere, but the air was still thick with unspoken tension between Eira and her new sibling. If the small girl thought something was not right about him - she would definitely have been right.

'I am a 25 year old man reborn in an infantile boy's body after all.'

Julian's inner voice berated him as he took in his sister's scrutinizing glare. Oh sibling rivalry, how he'd missed it so. Even in this world he was doomed to be the younger brother of a piece of work older sister.

Eira's ears twitched back ever so slightly, her head tilting at her so-called brother with growing curiosity. As a being of spiritual **** in this world, ever so rare, she will in due time pick up even the more minor abnormalities to appear in nature. With her sibling rival Julian. He appeared nearly normal. Almost. But then again, he was the first baby she'd ever seen.

"So momma... poppa said something about how Julian was made. Saying it's like when we put boy and girl horses together... how?"

Eira asked, shifting her gaze toward her mother, betraying her father as curiosity got the better of her.

Kuina's expression turned to an amused thoughtfulness, and she focused briefly on Julian in her arms, cradling him carefully.

"Well, sweetie, it's a bit more complicated than that, but... when two people with strong magical abilities... um, combine their energies, it can create a new being with unique properties."

Kuina hesitated, unsure of just how much to reveal, but Eira's curious blue eyes encouraged her to continue.

"In our case, your father and I... we both have strong magical bloodlines, and when we... well, when we made Julian, our energies combined in a way that created a new... life..."

Eira blinked at the continuing response, filling in the pieces of her imagination. From the creaking floors, ghoulish noises and banshee howls. Her young mind pictured an irrelevant image of her mom and pops doing some kind of ritual? No, impossible. Her brow narrowed, making her mind work overtime.

"Then how are the foals made then? I sense no magical essence from them momma. Same with the chickens, goats and all of our barn animals."

Eira doubled down since she was getting more answers from her momma than poppa. Maybe if she had the full scope of the how, maybe she could stop another sibling from taking her parents love away. Fighting off one competition should be no sweat, she hoped.

Kuina's expression stayed gentle but firm, and she placed a soothing hand on Eira's shoulder.

"Eira, sweetie, I think that's enough questions for now. You're getting a bit too curious for your age, and I'm not sure you're ready to understand all of this."

Kuina said, her voice laced with a hint of warning. She glanced over at Lael, who was watching the exchange with a mixture of amusement and concern.

"Why don't you go help your father with the cooking, and we'll talk about this more when you're older."

Her tone brooked no room for argument.

Her gaze filtered back to her brother, squinting tiredly. Their eyes met once more momentarily, her attempting to understand what might be going on in that tiny head of his. She hoped to all the favorable elements that another sibling didn't just appear out in the blue again, that'd be too much too soon.

"Okay momma..."

Her cheeks puffed in a faint pout she to another 'wait until you're older' comment. Eira reluctantly retreated after pecking her mother's cheek and gravitating back to her father. She innocently glanced up at him as they disappeared into the quaint little kitchen to get lunch started.