Request (Teardrop and Cobalt)

[Kender Bard]

Lady Holiday came by the Calder residence. She was aware that Lady Calder was off somewhere with her eldest daughter - Holiday had wanted to join the party as well but she couldn't leave her child alone. Cobalt wasn't home and Holiday had already sent the servants home for the day.

She knocked hesitantly on the front door. She hoped one of the twins would be home.

[Northen Light36]

Teardrop opens the door and gives Holiday a small smile. "Good afternoon Lady Furinko," she greets the woman in her usual shy, quiet voice. "Would you like to come in?"

[Kender Bard]

Holiday smiled sweetly at Teardrop - she was very fond of the soft spoken girl. She reminded her of herself, at that age. "Nay, I came to speak with you and here you are," she said simply. "I was wondering if you'd be available to watch my son for a few marks. I want terribly to go to the ball your mother is currently at but my lord husband is not home and I have dismissed the servants early. I hate to impose - naturally I will pay you a fair fee - but would you be so kind...? Bryant is wonderfully well behaved. He'll probably sleep or play quietly the whole time."

[Northen Light36]

Teardrop's eyes light up. Ever since the first time she watched the Veatherfall children, she's found she adores babies and toddlers. "Oh, I'd love to," she replies eagerly. "I'll just tell Raindrop where I'm going and get my cloak as quickly as I can so you don't miss much of the ball." Smiling happily, Teardrop hurries upstairs. A conversation drifts down to Holiday.

"But dad said I have to clean my room before he gets home or I can't go see Streak tomorrow, Tears!" Raindrop's complaining loudly. "You promised to do it!" Teardrop's reply is too soft to hear, but a few moments later there's the sound of a door slamming shut. Teardrop comes back downstairs with her winter cloak in hand and a subdued look on her face, despite the smile she tries to force for Holiday's sake.

"I'm ready to go," she says quietly.

[Kender Bard]

Holiday gave Teardrop a worried look, but said nothing. It wasn't her place. Perhaps she would mention something to Laura though... Speaking lightly of subjects - what she expected other girls would be wearing to the ball and such - she led Teardrop back to her modest manor. Leading the way to Bryant's room, she introduced her to her son. "This is Bryant - isn't he sweet?"

The baby was currently awake and sitting up in his crib, lightly clutching a stuffed bear. He looked at Teardrop with curiosity and cooed.

"I'll just be dressed on my way then," Holiday went on. "I expect I'll be back in a few marks. Will you be okay? Is there anything you need?"

[Northen Light36]

"I'll be fine, thank you," Teardrop replies politely, her smile no longer forced as she leans over the crib bars to tickle Bryant. "Yes, we'll be fine, won't we Bryant? Oh, you're just the sweetest little boy, aren't you? My name's Teardrop, Bryant. I'm going to look after you for a little while so your mummy can visit her friends."

[Kender Bard]

Holiday smiled brightly, confident that her precious son was in good hands, and walked off to be dressed and away.

A candle mark later and there was the sound of the door opening and closing. It was a bit early for Holiday to return but the mystery was dispelled as a deep male voice called out, "Holiday? I'm home a little early. Holiday?"

[Northen Light36]

Teardrop pauses in singing softly to Bryant. "Looks like your daddy is home," she whispers to the sleeping child. "I better go say hello." Tip-toeing out of the room, Teardrop heads downstairs, hesitating on the bottom step while she gathers the courage speak to a man she doesn't know very well. One of the lasting affects of her time as a slave is a deep seated fear of men in positions of power.

"I-i'm s-sorry, Sir Furinko," she says quietly. "Lady F-furinko is a-at L-l-lady Fell's b-ball. She asked m-me to watch your son..."

[Kender Bard]

"Oh," Cobalt says, looking with quiet surprise at Teardrop. He's dressed in his noble clothes but still had his sword strapped to his hip. He rarely left home without it. Reverently he took it from his belt and went to the mantle where he placed it on a rack with obvious love and carefulness. Smiling faintly, he turned and faced Teardrop again. "So you're watching Bryant? That's good. I trust he's well - would you like to join me in a bite to eat or, er." He wasn't really sure if she was of drinking age. He lamely left his statement hanging, feeling a touch silly.

[Northen Light36]

"He's s-sleeping, Sir," Teardrop says quietly. "But yes, he's fine. And..." she hesitates for a moment then gives Cobalt a nervous smile. "Well, a sandwich would be nice, if you don't mind Sir."

[Kender Bard]

"I don't mind," Cobalt chuckled and gestured for Teardrop the follow. While the manor isn't as splendid as the palace, it's nearly as nice as the Calder home. Cobalt enters the spacious kitchen and sets about carving off slices of bread and hunks of meat from what's stored in the pantry. "How is life treating you, young one?" Cobalt asked as he set about making the meal. "Do you enjoy life as a noble?"

[Northen Light36]

Teardrop considers the question. "I love Mama and Daddy," she says simply at last. "But I'd love them if they weren't nobles." Teardrop smiles happily. "Being a noble is nice, I guess. But I just like having a family." Softly she adds, "Even if Luna doesn't like Rainy and me much."

[Kender Bard]

"Well that's not surprising, I suppose," Cobalt admits as he sets one of the sandwiches down in front of her. "I didn't know Luna well, though we were peers of a sort - both noble children of vaguely similar age. I knew her brother much better. Young Cloud would have made an excellent knight and what happened to him was a great tragedy. I imagine it cut Luna to the core. And so to see another set of twins brought into the house not long after losing her brother-"

He shrugged. "It is my opinion that Laura's act to adopt you was of great kindness but I can't blame Luna for being a little bitter. She was never that sociable anyway. If she's her mother's daughter, she'll come around though. Especially since word is that she's wed and will start a family of her own." He smiled suddenly. "Children change one's perspective so much, though perhaps you're a bit young to understand."

[Northen Light36]

Teardrop hesitates, the asks something she's never dared ask anyone in her family. "What did happen to Cloud?" she asks softly. "Daddy never wants to talk about it and it made him so sad I didn't want to ask Mama..."

[Kender Bard]

"Well that might be for the best," Cobalt murmurs as he gets up and pours two tall glasses of milk. "Young Cloud went to work for the newly crowned Queen in Maelstrom. He, like many of us in Talen'sul, knew that it would be dangerous at first for Her Majesty to live in the land of Storms and he wanted to guard her. She agreed - and not long after a madman, a former lord who became disgraced and cursed by the Forces themselves, tried to kill her. Cloud did his duty and died in her place. He was given a burial with full honors and inspired many of us. In fact."

He paused and smiled slightly, "He partly inspired the Knighthood now that I think about it. We serve the Queen more than the King and I suppose his actions were partly why."