Aebel Lowys

Begonia

[ Mother ] Aebel does not have a bad relationship with his mother, in fact they have quite a good relationship. Aebel likes to do what he can to help his mother. When he was a late teen/young adult he really started looking back on his childhood and realized how much of a struggle raising him and his sister must have been, he felt an need to make it up to his mother, or at least make sure he showed his gratitude to her more readily.

Aster

[ Parent ] Aebel's relationship with his paternal parent is an interesting one. Aster and Begonia divorced when Aebel was only 5, and with their subsequent move away from Aster to live with some of Begonia's family in Fabrem, Aebel did not see much of any of his parent for most of his life. When he 27 Aebel moved back to Aquariall, getting to spend more time with Aster. Aster is something of a grouch and was never the nicest to him, but Aebel could not ever believe that his parent didn't love him, and couldn't give up on him.

Aebel learned to have immense patience from his times living with Aster, and Aster was truly touched by Aebel's kindness toward them. But as the curmudgeon they are, they've never quite been able to bring themselves to admit it. But their softness and affection toward Aebel grew as they spent more time together. And when Aebel's apartment burned down and all his life plans went down the drain, Aster was taken aback by Aebel's loss of hope and did everything they could in their own little tsundere way to pick him back up.

Efa

[ Step-mother ] Efa is Aebel's step-mother, having married Begonia a few years after they moved to Fabrem. Aebel was practically raised by Efa alongside his birth mother, and regards her as such.

Raux

[ Sister ] Raux is Aebel's older sister, he is 3 years younger than her. As a child Aebel often wasn't far behind his sister's shadow, but in addition to many children's desires to do whatever their older sibling is doing, Aebel was often the voice of reason and restraint to his older sister, at least once he got old enough to realize just how reckless she was. Aebel's primary concept is Caution, and Raux used this to her advantage many times when they were young and when she was feeling trepidatious about some reckless plan or other, when Aebel got older he became wise to what Raux was doing and was less quick to comply to her asking him to eat her caution.

Cadfael

[ Step-Brother ] Cadfael is 3 years older than Aebel, as is the birth son of their mother Efa. Cadfael was Raux's closest friend, and Aebel often found himself following close behind both her AND Cadfael. Cadfael has a great amount more caution than Raux, but as a child he too often erred on the side of reckless. Aebel looked up to his gignosk step brother a little more than his own birth sister, finding more things to emulate in him. As he grew older Aebel also found it much easier to confide in Cadfael than he did Raux.

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WIFE AND KIDS

Aebel is really the anchor of his wife and family, the one who calms everyone else down. To quote a song on his inspiration playlist 

"I want to believe
No, I choose to believe
That I was made to become
A sanctuary"

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Bonnevali

[ Wife ] Bonnevali is Aebel's wife. They met when he was 33, after he had returned home from Aquariall and finally agreed to his sister Raux's demands to come join her and Cadfael in support of Prince Philip. From the moment Aebel was first introduced to Bonnevali he had a crush on her. As he got to know her Aebel discovered how much Bonnevali was hiding below the surface. Aebel was able to draw Bonnevali out of her shell and help her learn to let herself be vulnerable. The two are inseparable and for their entire married life have hardly been away from each other. 

Dahlia

[ Daughter ] Dahlia is Aebel and Bonnevali's eldest child, and Bonnevali's heir. Aebel has a naturally easier time understanding Dahlia's perspective and way of thinking than Bonnevali does.

Calluna

[ Daughter ] Calluna is Aebel and Bonnevali's second eldest child, from the same litter as Dahlia and Delphinium. Calluna and Aebel share a special connection in their deep desire and initiative to nurture and hold their family together. Calluna, like Aebel, is very sensitive to the needs of others, and Aebel greatly enjoyed his time teaching Calluna how to balance her sensitivity and desire to help with taking care of herself.

Delphinium

[ Son ] Delphinium is the youngest of the eldest trio. Aebel has a bit of a harder time connecting with his eldest son, but that doesn't mean he doesn't try his absolute best.

Oriole

[ Son ] Oriole is the eldest of the only two children that Aebel himself carried. Oriole died not long after birth and Aebel took it very hard, blaming himself for Oriole's death for a long time. 

Rosella

[ Daughter ] Rosella was Oriole's twin, like her brother she was born with weak lungs and malformed legs. Luckily she was saved by the doctor. She was later given prosthetic legs, she was able to live a full and mostly healthy life. Aebel's relationship with Rosella is both very special and very strained. For a time after her birth Aebel blamed himself for Rosella's condition, and made nearly everything in her life his responsibility. Rosella felt strangled by his over protectiveness, which led her to act out and do to what she could to annoy her father. 

Aebel struggled hard over the course of Rosella's upbringing to reconcile his feelings of guilt and his sometimes destructive strategies to cope with that guilt, strategies that often not only alienated Rosella but his wife and family. Aebel overall is someone who is pretty emotionally aware and healthy, so he tried very hard to step back and take a critical look at his thinking and where it was a problem. There was a difficult learning curve but he was finally able to let go of his guilt. At least enough at first to no longer be hurting Rosella or anyone else with it.

By the time Rosella was a late teenager/young adult the strained feelings between the two had gone, and they settled into a healthy, supportive father/daughter relationship.

Brahminy

[ Son ] Brahminy and his littermate Halcyon were born 6 years after Rosella. Ever since he was a child Brahminy has always been a little quicker to go to his father for help than he was his mother. 

Halcyon (Hal)

[ Son ] Aebel tried long and hard as Hal was a child to mediate between Bonnevali and their most aggressive child, but despite Bonnevali and Hal's clash of wills Hal has always been quicker to go to his mother than his father. Aebel loved and spent plenty of time with Hal when he was a child of course, but they really became closer when Hal was an adult.

Lark

[ Daughter ] Lark is Aebel and Bonnevali's youngest, born 7 years after Brahminy and Hal. Aebel calls her "My little Lark". When Lark returned pregnant from her own years long trip to Aquariall, Aebel was the one who Lark could tell everything to. Supported very strongly by both her parents, Aebel was always the one she felt more comfortable leaning on. Aebel was also the primary one to support her when Annatto (Lark's children's father) returned, and the one to hear him out.

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EXTENDED FAMILY

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Guinevere "Ginny" Faethor

[ Step-Niece ] Ginny is Bonnevali's niece, her father being Bonnevali's full brother, Faethor. She is 9 years younger than Aebel. Aebel was something of a friend to Ginny even before he and Bonnevali started dating or got married, in fact Ginny played a large part in getting Bonnevali and Aebel together in the first place.

Even as Ginny became his niece Aebel stayed a close friend to her, bonding over their mutual love of romance novels and literature. They kept up communication over the years, and with two of Aebel's other nieces (Petronia and Emii) they formed a book club.

Petronia Addhema

[ Step-Niece ] Petronia is Bonnevali's niece, her mother being Bonnevali's half sister, Addhema. She is 10 years younger than Aebel. Aebel met Petronia after he started dating Bonnevali, but the two of them became rather close friends. Like Ginny, the two bonded over their love of romance and literature.