The Valwick Chronicles (Inactive)

Game Master Signore di Fortuna

At some point, near the end of the book, Juhi falls asleep against Rajni.

Rajni finishes the book quietly and kisses the crown of Juhi's head before sliding the book to the floor.

Feeling quite sleepy herself, Rajni carefully moves back on the couch while holding Juhi against her, so as not to disturb her. Making sure they are both covered with the afghan, Rajni rests her head back on the pillows and closes her eyes. A little nap would probably make them feel better anyways.

Yawning one more time, Rajni drifts off with Juhi asleep against her, and Shamara snoring with her head still on Juhi's leg as she lays curled against the young girl.

Ylrhea nods in agreement. "I've always been tied up with one adventure or another."

Ylrhea gets up and looks out of the window. "It looks like it's starting to slow down a little. So I guess you can go ask them if you want."

I scared....I don't wanna get in trouble. *pouty lip*

Going over to where Ylrhea looks out the window, "Maybe I should....before it gets much later. Would...would you be okay here till I got back? I promise I wouldn't be long. Dau is still here, as well as Alethiro and Theon...and Celine...but she should be fine." She prattles on, a note of nervousness in her voice.

Ylrhea cocks her head to the side. "Do you want me to go with you? You know, for moral support."

She nods, looking to the side somewhat. She didn't understand why her midwife scared her so much, or why she felt worried about getting into trouble....but she just knew that she didn't want to give Konstantyna any excuse to chew her out. "Maybe...maybe if you go with me she'll know I'm not running around doing a bunch of stuff by myself and then maybe I won't get in trouble. I don't know Rhea....she just...reminds me of someone scary." She says while wringing her hands. "I wonder if we should let Dau know that we're just stepping out for a minute and we'll be right back?"

"Yes, it would be the polite thing to do before leaving someone you barely know with two men, a toddler and a dog," Ylrhea answers.

"Okay." Arista turns and goes to the bathroom. She knocks softly on the door, "Dau? It's Arista, I needed to tell you something. Is it alright if I come in?"

Dau opens the door. "I'm just drying my hair."

She nods and goes inside, "I just wanted to let you know I needed to see my midwife for a minute this morning. It won't take me long, but would you be comfortable waiting here, or would you like to come with us?"

"I'll be okay here," Dau says. "Pandi should be back soon anyway."

She nods, "Sure, I just wanted to let you know before leaving you here. We shouldn't be gone too long. Alley and Theon are in the living room, and Celine should be in her room playing quietly. If she falls asleep it's fine, maybe she won't be so cranky this afternoon. Anyways, we'll see you in a little bit."

Arista heads back into the living room, "Hey love, I have stuff simmering on the stove, and the meat is starting to cook. Me and Rhea gotta go see Konstantyna real quick, and then we'll be right back."

Leaning down she gives him a kiss before getting wrapped up from head to toe in her winter wear. Going back to the kitchen she says, "Okay, I'm ready whenever you are. Might as well get this over with."

Hearing her mommy telling daddy that she was going, Celine hurries to the living room.

Jumping up on the couch she grabs her daddy's face between her hands, "Where mommy going? I go too!"

The puppy jumps up on the couch with Celine and barks while wagging her tail.

Ylrhea hears the commotion in the living room. "Want to handle that first?"

"Mommy is going to Miss Konstantyná's and you are not going with her," Alethiro says. "It is too cold outside."

Her lower lip quivers slightly, "Please daddy?"

Closing her eyes she stands there for a moment and sighs, "Oh good grief." Taking a breath she counts to five before opening her eyes again, "Yeah...I guess I had better."

Arista goes out into the living room and sees her daughter holding her daddy's face hostage in her hands, "Celine...what are you doing? What is going on in here?"

Celine lets go of her daddy's face when she hears mommy's voice. Turning around on the couch to face her she says, "I ask daddy go with you."

"I told her no."

Arista looks over at Alethiro before cocking an eyebrow at her daughter. Resting her hands on her hips she says, "Oh really now? First of all, it didn't sound like you were asking very nicely. Second of all, I already told you that you were not going outside today young lady. It is too cold for you out there and if mommy didn't have to go see Ms. Konstantyna, I wouldn't be going outside either. Now, you get down from that couch, take that puppy and put her on the floor, and you tell daddy you're sorry for grabbing his face like that. That wasn't nice Celine and I didn't appreciate you yelling at daddy like that either."

Celine just stands there with her lip quivering while looking down at the ground.

Sighing she lowers herself carefully so that she's eye level to Celine, "Listen, I know you're bored...but you can't scream at someone to get your way Celine. Daddy and I love you, but that behavior is not okay. It is too cold for you to go outside and I already told you that, Daddy told you the same thing because we're a team. Just because I said no, doesn't mean you can ask daddy. What you did wasn't nice, and I want you to tell Daddy that you're sorry. Your cousins are coming over in a while and if you want to play with them and not sit in time out while they play with your toys, you'll do as your told. Do you understand me?"

Celine sniffles, but nods her head. Climbing down off the couch, she picks up Honey and sets her on the floor. Turning to face her daddy, a tear slides down her check. While looking down at the floor she says, "I sorry....daddy. Just want...to be...with mommy." Wrapping her arms around his legs she lays her head on his lap as she starts to cry.

Arista sighs and rubs her back as she stands back up, "I'm sorry Celine, you can't be with me all the time. I'll be back soon, be good for daddy."

Moving over to her husband she leans down and gives him a kiss, "Dwi'n ddrwg gen i. Doeddwn i ddim wir yn meddwl y byddai'n clywed fi. Rwy'n siŵr ei bod hi'n unig wedi blino. Rwy'n casáu eich gadael gyda hi tra mae hi mor ofidus, ond mae'n rhaid imi fynd draw yno felly gallaf ddod yn ôl a gorffen gyda choginio ein pryd. Efallai, os ydych chi'n darllen iddi hi neu rywbeth, bydd hi'n syrthio i gysgu neu rywbeth, ond fe'i gwnewch yn aros nes iddi ostwng yn gyntaf. Os nad yw hi'n cysgu erbyn yr amser rwy'n dod yn ôl, fe'i rhoddaf i lawr am nap. Rwy'n dy garu di."

Alethiro nods at Arista. "I forgive you, Celine. Do you want to sit up here with Daddy and Uncle Theon."

Giving him a greatful smile she heads back into the kitchen, "Alright, we better get going. Let's head out through the back door so she doesn't have a meltdown as I go out the door."

Sighing she goes to the back door and holds it open for Rhea as she listens to her daughter cry from the living room.

Picking her head off his lap while tears stream down her face she shakes her head. Running from the room she goes to her closet and pulls out a couple of books. Taking them back to her daddy she holds them up, "Read...me." She says between sobs, as her little lip quivers.

"I'll read to you if you behave and say 'please'."

"Sometimes I really wonder if I'm ready for a child," Ylrhea says, heading out the door.

"I good...please daddy....read me." She says, holding the books out to him while still crying, though not as loudly as before.

Following Rhea out the door she gives her friend a comforting smile, "It's not always like this...but children require a lot of work and commitment. It's not something you can do just when you feel like it. It means taking the good with the bad. Children have bad days sometimes, and we still have to be there for them...guiding them, and making sure they know that we love them." She says with a shrug as they head to Konstantyna and Lucy's place, "At least the snow let up a little bit."

"Yeah, that's a small blessing. Do you believe there are people who just love this kind of weather?" Ylrhea asks as they make their way to the Midwife's house.

Alethiro picks up his daughter and seats her between him and Theon. He opens the book and reads the story of a brave bunny named the Carrot Knight who ventured forth to save his burrow from the villainous King Snake.

She shrugs, "I guess so, but I can't think of any at the moment. I'm sure there are though. Different people like different types of weather. I always liked the time after winter, when the snow would start to melt, the flowers would start to bloom, and baby animals started being born."

Celine's tears slowly dry up as daddy reads her the story. She leans against his side to see the pictures in the book, one small hand resting on his chest, the thumb of her other hand in her mouth.

"I'm more of a summer person, getting out and doing stuff in the warm sunshine," Ylrhea says as they reach Konstantyná's house. "Do you want to knock or should I?"

Taking a deep breath she says, "It's okay, I can knock. I'm not scared of her door." Arista knocks on the door.

Konstantyná opens the door. "Good morning. Come in, come in."

The Midwife smiles at Arista and Ylrhea. "What brings you by?"

Lucy looks up from some vials that she is cleaning. "Oh, hello. Particularly nasty weather today, eh?"

Arista nods as she comes in, being careful not to track in any snow. Getting inside she says, "You can say that again. So...I thought I should come by and let you know some things pertaining to today and our lunch date together. Some things have come up and so there are going to be a couple more people there than I had originally planned for....but...but it's okay cuz I have Rhea helping me, and you guys are still welcome to come. I just wanted to let you know ahead of time what was going on so you wouldn't....geez....why is it so hard to explain what's going on in my head?"

Arista takes a breath and tries to calm herself before continuing, "Sadhana showed up at my door yesterday....with my brother Theon. He's okay and everything....he's just still adjusting, but I didn't want people thinking I was keeping him a secret or anything. So...I invited my part of the family, as well as Alley's family over to lunch today as well so they could meet him....then things just sorta snowballed...pardon the pun...on me, and then Pandi and this new person to Valwick, her name is Dau, showed up this morning and said that their pipes in the lighthouse were frozen and could they use my bath...which is fine and I don't want them freezing over there, so I invited them to stay too for lunch.....So....I guess what I'm trying to say is that I still very much would like it if you could come to lunch today around 2....I just didn't want to spring that many people on you guys without letting you know what was going on, and I didn't want you to think that I forgot about having lunch with you, because I totally didn't. I just....I guess I'm just throwing myself into a lot of stuff so I don't have to think about other stuff....but you're important to me, so I wanted to come tell you."

Konstanyná raises an eyebrow. "Sounds like you'll have quite a few people there as it is. What do you think, Lucy?"

"I think we ought to reschedule," Lucy says. "No offense, but this sounds more like a family gathering than just a simple lunch."

The changeling nods. "I'm glad you let us know, Arista. We can do this another day, though. However, I may be away for some time soon."

Arista looks at Konstantyna with concern, "Well, of course I understand....but is everything okay? Where are you going?"

Having outbursts always makes her tired. Listening to daddy read the book started making her feel sleepy. She curls against him a little closer to get a better look at the book, her tears drying up as her thumb helps suppress the hiccups. Near the end of the story her eyes start feeling heavy and daddy's voice seems to be getting further and further away.

Near the end of the book, all that comes from Celine is a soft snoring sound that comes around the sound of her sucking her thumb.

Are you going to Candy Mountain Konstantyna? giggle giggle

Alethiro takes Celine to her room and lays her down on her bed. He covers her up before taking Honey outside.

"Away," Konstantyná repeats. "I'm sorry, Arista, but it is Summoner business."

"She won't tell me either."

"So you don't know yet."

Konstantyná narrows her eyes at the gnome. "Anyone ever tell you that you're too smart for your own good?"

"Not recently."