"Just be careful while you're out. The roads seem pretty slick," Asha says, putting the kettle on.
Theon rummages around in the kitchen, opting to make himself some toast and jam.
Finishing up her breakfast she nods, "I'll be careful mama, I promise." Taking her dishes to the sink shed rinses them off before giving her mama's cheek a kiss, "I love you. I promise if he isn't open that I won't stay out in it long. I'll be home later." Grabbing her cloak she secures it around herself before pulling on her boots and heading out into the cold towards Halfpocket's store.
Celine sits quietly in the kitchen and happily enjoys her breakfast. Looking at her uncle with the sweet fruit stuff she holds out a piece of her bread, "Me too please?"
Theon smiles and spreads some jam on Celine's bread. "There you go."
Rajni finds Halfpocket, bundled up, hanging a sign on the door.
Taking the fruit covered bread from him she smiles, "Thank you!"
Walking up to him while holding the cloak tightly about her she says, "So, going to go home and stay warm today huh? Just thought I'd come by and check, just in case."
"You're welcome, Celine."
"Yes, not many people out and about," Halfpocket says. "Besides neither of us need to get sick."
Continuing to eat her breakfast, she keeps looking back in the direction of her mommy's room, wondering when she'll get up today. She wondered if she'd have to go outside and get more snow. Celine giggles at the thought.
Nodding she says, "You sure are right about that, on both counts. We're supposed to be going camping the day after my sisters' wedding, so I'm hoping some of this calms down a little bit. Well, have a good day Mr. Halfpocket. I'm gonna go check on Dillon really quickly before heading back home."
"Be safe out there, Rajni."
She nods, "Yes Sir, you as well. I heard some of the roads are pretty slippery. I'll see you the day after tomorrow to make sure I have all my camping supplies, if we're still able to go. Bye Mr. Halfpocket." She says with a wave as she heads to Dillon's house.
Getting to his door she knocks the snow off of her boots before knocking on the front door.
Dillon opens the door. "Rajni! What are you doing out there?"
He steps back to let her enter.
Going inside she rubs her arms vigorously, "I...I went b-b-by Halfpocket's shop to make sure he wasn't going to need me tod-d-day and thought I would ch-check on you." She says through chattering teeth.
Dillon leads Rajni over by the fireplace. "Let me get a blanket for you."
He then chuckles. "You know I wouldn't have gone out in this."
She nods while shivering slightly, "I....I know, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get out later to see you or not and I had to make sure that you had stuff to eat and stuff." She says, taking the blanket from him gladly and wrapping it around herself. The fire already helping to thaw her out.
"I have bread, meat and cheese," Dillon says. "Sandwiches are okay on a day like this."
He sits down next to Rajni and kisses her forehead. "Wow, you're cold!"
After dozing off and on for about thirty more minutes and feeling more restless than rested, Arista sighs and sits up. Rubbing her eyes she looks over at her peacefully sleeping husband and smiles. Putting her feet in her warm soft slippers, she gets up out of the bed and closes their door quietly behind her. Going to the restroom she deals with her more personal business before washing her hands and face.
Feeling slightly more refreshed she makes her way into the kitchen. Seeing Celine sitting nicely at the table eating her breakfast she smiles and gives her daughter a kiss on the head, "Good morning sunshine, are you being a good girl for uncle Theon?"
Putting food and water in the puppy's bowls she looks over at her brother, "Sorry I couldn't get up sooner. Were you able to find everything okay?" She asks while putting the tea kettle on.
She nods her head, "Yeah...it's really really cold outside. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
Finishing her milk and cereal, Celine climbs down from her chair. Nodding her head as she takes the dishes to the sink, she climbs up on the chair she had pushed up against it earlier and rinses out her dishes before putting them in the sink. Going to her mama she wraps her arms around her hips and looks up at her, "I good girl mommy. I eat."
Looking down at her daughters sweet face she tousles her hair, "I know, I saw you eating very nicely Celine." Sighing she gets down to the level of her daughter and looks into her eyes, "I also know you went outside by yourself this morning to take Honey outside without telling anyone after I asked you not to do that. It's really cold outside and you could have gotten sick, or hurt. Do not go outside again without telling someone first Celine, understand me? I'm proud of you for taking care of Honey, but you have to tell someone. If you go outside without telling someone again, you'll be in time out. Now, go wash up and play with Honey, in the house. Tell us when she's ready to go out again."
Seeing Celine's lip start to tremble she gives her a hug, "It's okay to make mistakes, just don't do it again. Mommy doesn't want anything bad to happen to you. Now go wash up and play with your puppy."
Grunting she stands back up.
Looking up at her mommy she wipes her eyes, "Okay Mommy, I sowrry. Not do it again. Come on Honey." She turns and heads out of the kitchen, her head down slightly.
"Yeah, it was no problem," Theon says, brushing some crumbs off his shirt.
Arista sighs and shakes her head before getting a cup down from the cabinet for her tea, "Was there anything I could get for you Theon?"
"I know. Do you want some tea or something warm to drink?" Dillon asks.
"Some eggs would be nice, if it's not too much trouble," Theon says. "Otherwise, I'm fine."
"A cup of tea sounds good love. Thank you." She says as she starts to feel her muscles starting to relax.
Dillon heads into the kitchen and gets the kettle on.
She shakes her head, "No, it's no trouble at all. I was just getting some tea first. I usually don't sleep so long, I've just been so tired these last few days and it's been one thing after another....usually I try to get up and at least get one cup of tea in before Celine gets up and is all over me. I have no idea how we're gonna handle two of them....but she'll be older by then...and she's already grown so much." She says pouring the water in a cup and adding the tea bag. While it steeps she gets the honey, sugar, and some lemon out to put in it.
"You've got a humble uncle to help out and Alethiro seems like he's got a good head on his shoulders," Theon says. "I don't plan on going out into the field anymore. I was lucky enough to get this chance."
She nods, "Yeah, I know." Taking the bag out of her tea she stirs in a little sugar, honey, and some lemon, before sitting down at the kitchen table with him.
Theon gives Arista a smile. "Are you okay, Ari? You can talk to me. I was around when mother was carrying you, so I know pregnancy isn't easy. I just don't remember a lot of the helpful things."
She shrugs her shoulders, a sudden wave of sadness washing over her for some reason. Shaking her head she says, "I don't know....everything has just been...it's been crazy lately. It's like...if I'm not utterly exhausted, I'm hurting, or peeing all the time, or swollen and stuff in places...aside from that...I guess I don't really know. I'm not sure what I'm thinking or feeling half the time anymore." She sighs and sips on her tea, "Sometimes I just think I'm turning into some kind of crazy lady. I try really hard not to let it affect the way I handle Celine....but she can be a real handful, especially now that she doesn't need the leg braces anymore and she has it in her head that she can do anything....including stuff she's not supposed to...but that's just her being a kid right?"
Looking down at the bit of toast he has left on his plate she gives him a little scowl as she narrows her eyes slightly, "Is that all you've had so far this morning? Your toast and jam breakfast?"
"If you recall, I've set fire to the kitchen before," Theon says. "And, yes, Celine is just being a kid. They love to explore and do things they're not supposed to...Are we that old that we've forgotten?"
"Pfft....I think people would say that I still like to explore and do things I'm "not supposed to"." She says with a smirk. Taking a couple more sips of tea she looks up at him with a sort of sadness in her eyes, "I feel like I'm starting to forget them....like I'm having trouble remembering what mother and father looked like now. Even Philla....I just remember how prissy she was. I'm glad her grandchildren didn't inherit some of her more annoying habits. They're really sweet and I think you'll like them. Marie and her husband Lucco have two children who are close to Celine's age in a way. She's elven of course, but she's only around twenty-five. I've been having issues with her lately about the way she acts around me when other people are around. She's been getting very possessive lately and it worries me a little. Konstantyna....she's my midwife, she said I should talk to Marie or Alethiro's parents about it. She said that I wouldn't want to deal with Celine competing for attention after the baby comes because I'm gonna be really tired. I just...I don't know how to nip it in the bud without breaking her little spirit." She drinks some more of her tea, "I don't know...maybe I'm worrying too much."
"It's good that you worry a little bit, that's the trait of a good parent," Theon says. "It's been a long time, Ari. It's okay that you don't remember anything."
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Finishing her tea she sighs, "I guess so." Getting up from the table she rinses her cup out, "I'll go ahead and get breakfast started. I know I need to eat something, and I'm sure Alley will be up soon. I think some hot cereal with fruit, and some biscuits, would go well with those eggs this morning." Arista bustles around the kitchen, keeping her mind occupied by getting things out and starting to prepare the dough for the biscuits. Setting that aside, she slices up some fruit to add to the hot oat cereal that she starts. While the milk is heating up for the cereal, she mixes the eggs in a bowl. Once her biscuits have risen enough, she puts just a little butter on the tops before popping them in oven.
After about twenty minutes, delicious aromas start filling the house as Arista puts the finishing touches on her breakfast, and starts setting the butter, jam, and honey on the table.
Hot cereal with cinnamon, brown sugar, and cut up apples. Scrambled eggs, and hot fresh biscuits is what she starts putting on the table.
Alethiro shuffles into the kitchen. "I must have been good in a previous life to wake up to smells like this in the morning."
Arista hears a knock at the back door.
Hearing the knock on the door she gives her husband a smile, "Go ahead and start serving yourself, I'll be there in a minute."
Going to the back door she opens it and gives the elf a smile, "Good morning Pandi, is everything alright?" She asks while stepping back and holding the door open for her, "Please come in, it must be freezing out there."
"I brought Dau with me," Pandi says, gesturing to the gillwoman beside her. "Actually, we have a bit of a problem. Not a dire problem, but it's still a problem."
She steps inside. "Come on, Dau. She doesn't bite."
Dau nods. "Sorry about this, Miss Arista."
She shakes her head as the two come inside. Closing the door she gestures to the kitchen table, "Would you like to have a seat in here where we can talk warmly? Don't worry about a thing, there's nothing to be sorry about. Would you two care for some breakfast while you're here? I always make enough for an army." She offers as they all come inside the house, "Just make yourselves comfortable....unless you need to talk to me in private?" She asks, unsure of what their particular situation might be and whether or not they would be comfortable talking in front of her husband and brother or not. She looks from Pandi to Dau, and waits to see what they would be more comfortable doing.
Pandi shakes her head. "It's not a private matter, but, yes, I'm famished."
"I'm hungry as well," Dau says, unslinging a large backpack from her shoulders.
Theon gives the women a polite nod, though his gaze lingers on Pandi for a moment longer than it does on Dau.
"Good morning, Pandi," Alethiro says. "And Dau, was it?"
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"She's new in town and living with me at the light house," Pandi explains. "Dau is one of the town guard now."