Old Relations

[Deleted]

(OOC: What should I do now?)

[Kender Bard]

(Er, they could either just sorta sympathise, and I'll wrap this up, offer to keep an eye on the farm while he goes and gets help, or offer to go get help for him.)

[Deleted]

Alexi looked thoughtfully at his wife. The possibility of going to Humontis and hiring people for Darnell crossed his mind, but he was somewhat reluctant to bring it up. He wasn't sure how Darnell would take the idea, coming from him.

He touched his knee to Charminei's to get her attention. Why not hire the people ourselves, babe? Keeps us from Char a bit longer and helps out your brother, he thought.

[Kender Bard]

Charminei grinned brightly at her husband. ~That'd be wonderful, Alexi! I even had a friend in Humontis I missed, and wanted to visit.~ She cleared her throat. "Darnell, why don't you let us go in your place to Humontis and hire some farmhands for you?"

"Really?" Darnell asked, perking right up. "You'd do that?" Charminei smiled and nodded. "Aw, shucks, sis.. You're the best!" He leaned over and hugged his sister tenderly. "This calls for a celebration. I'm going to russle us up a nice dinner." Grinning he went off to his pantry to prepare. "You two make yourselves at home."

Charminei beamed, delighted. "Come on Alexi," she sang out, taking Charii and cradling her as she headed back outside. Her destination was an old tree swing, which, after a few tugs, proved still strong and sturdy. Darnell must have been keeping it in repair out of nostalgia. That big softie.. Carefully holding Charii against her chest, she swang back and forth and spoke to Alexi's mind. ~I hope you're not troubled by all our traveling about.~

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"Who, me?" Alexi asked aloud, coming behind the swing to give his wife a gentle push. Charii squealed and clapped her little hands in delight. "Nah. It's like the old days, y'know? Total freedom, no responsibilities." He studied the swing as he kept pushing. "I never had one of these."

[Kender Bard]

"You were a deprived child then," Charminei teased, beaming at her daughter. She looped one of her arms around the rope and held her a little closer, so she could swing higher without worry of flying off or dropping the baby. "You don't talk about your childhood at all really. What was it like?"

[Deleted]

"Busy, mostly. I helped out around Rest A Spell between lessons and my punishments for acting up," Alexi chuckled, pushing the two most important women in his life again. "Ma always needed an extra pair of hands, and Pops was serious about getting me an education. And when Uncle Mal wasn't busy, he liked to take walks outside. He was worried about not being able to find his way back, so I'd walk with him and he'd tell me stories."

Alexi's smile was wistful, thinking about his parents. "Those were fifteen of the best years of my life and I didn't even know it."

[Kender Bard]

"When you're young, you're thinking about everywhere and everyone but the things and people nearest to you," Charminei reflected. "I know when I was growing up, all I wanted to do was see the world. Pa shouldn't have taken me to the Ilyamen market when I was little. One taste of the city and I was hooked." She laughed. "I'm afraid I drove my foster parents out of their minds with all my questions and things about Ilyamen."

She smiled and looked at Charii. "Don't be surprised if our daughter is much the same as we were."

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"I'd be surprised if she DIDN'T act anything like us," Alexi laughed. "That or I'd think she was too much like Pops." He pushed the swing again and Charii squealed happily, seeming to reach for the sky. "If she is anything like us growin' up, it's probably a good thing we're not having any more kids." He paused. "We aren't, right?"

[Kender Bard]

"Forces, no," Charminei said firmly, then laughed. "I'm sorry, Alexi, if that came off harsh. It's just, well... with having borne five already..." She shuddered at the thought of adding a sixth to that. "Guess I really did take after my mother. She had six."

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"Good." There was real relief in Alexi's voice as he said that. "Fatherhood's great, but really." He sobered then, remembering Zakk and Abigail, and swore quietly. He still felt a great unease about the two, and the matter, in his opinion, would take too long to be resolved.

[Kender Bard]

Charminei picked up on his unspoken anxiety and dragged her feet against the ground to stop the swing. "For now, don't even think of them," she told him gently. "Out of sight, out of mind, right?"

[Deleted]

"Heh. Yeah, I guess so." Alexi caught the rope and pulled 'Minei in for a kiss. "What would I do without ya, huh?" He drew back to tickle Charii, making her wiggle and squeal.

[Kender Bard]

Live life freely.

"I don't know," was all she said, smiling. "Come on, let's head back inside..."

(I think this topic is done now hm?)

[Deleted]

(Works for me.)