Merry Efilive!

[Darastrix]

"He doesn't really startle that easily,"Schuldig said. ~And he knows who you were, besides.~ Even so, he reached out to speak with the man before knocking at the door, his face twitching slightly at the emotion accompanying the reply.

'Jealousy, thy name is Crawford.'


After a moment, the door opened, revealing a stiffly composed Brad Crawford. "Yes?" he said flatly, his tone making it sound more like a statement than question.

[Kender Bard]

Filly reached into a pocket. "Brad, I come bearing a present for you. Etaf informed me that she wanted to deliver a small gift for Efilive. Like she promised, were her words."

She withdrew a... rose. It was deeply, darkly blue and shimmered as though morning dew still clung to its petals. Efil held it out. "I think you're supposed to sniff it."

[Darastrix]

Schuldig blinked at the flower, curious. He'd never seen a blue rose before. The odd colour made him think more of Soahc than Etaf, but hey, whatever. If Etaf wanted to give Brad a blue rose, who could stop her?

The tension seemed to abruptly lift from Brad's posture as his expression changed from guarded to surprised to touched, the relaxing of the planes of his face giving him a slightly younger appearance. He took the rose from Filly, turning it gently in his hands as he watched it glimmer in the light, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. Brad touched the petals lightly for a moment--it really was a beautiful flower, whatever else it was for--then brought it up to his face to inhale its fragrance.

Schuldig, for once, kept his mouth shut. This was clearly something important to Brad, and he wasn't going to butt in.

[Kender Bard]

Filly watched with a strange sort of solemn seriousness. She understood Etaf well enough to know that whatever gift she gave, it would be important and significant.

The flower, when touched, did not lose its sparkly luster. Whatever made it shimmer did not wear off. When inhaled it gave a sweet scent, like a true rose but a bit stronger. It also strongly re-invoked those feelings off love and compassion that Etaf shared with Brad during her brief visit with him, as fresh as the day she had held him in her arms.

[Darastrix]

Brad didn't break down crying as he had before, though he did tear up enough that he couldn't really see. Even so, he stared down at the strangely beautiful rose in his hand, his other arm wrapping around as though embracing himself.

'Thank you, my Lady,' he thought, closing his eyes and lifting his face heavenward, the tears spilling over as he did. Between the reawakened feelings from Etaf and his own feelings for her, Brad felt almost as though his heart would burst.

'I love you.' The quiet thought held no sense of romantic intent. It was simply the feeling of a child for a most beloved parent.

Schuldig turned away from Crawford, looking at Filly instead. Very little mattered to him, religion-wise, but it mattered to Brad a great deal. And seeing him like this, well. There was private, and there was private; even Schuldig's voyeurism has its limits.

[Kender Bard]

Filly understood. Very much so. Though Etaf was not here, she could keenly sense her eldest sister was probably watching now and so she took her beloved's hand and started to walk away with him. ~I am glad he's happy. I knew Etaf would choose her gift well. Now what do we do, my love?~ She looked hopeful. ~Eat?~

No Force needed to eat and any repast they chose to conjure for themselves would of course be considered exquisitely perfect by mortal standards. That didn't stop her from missing some of the meals she'd got to enjoy as her time as a mortal. "Pie," she sighed happily to herself. That had been her favorite dish.

[Darastrix]

Schuldig gave her an amused look. ~What kind of pie? There's more than just a few kinds, remember? Though I'm sure Harmony gave the cook a fair idea.~

[Kender Bard]

"Sweet pies!" Filly giggled. "Where do you think Harmony got her sweet tooth from? Mmm sugar." In the dining hall she spotted Locket and Harmony conversing. Locket glanced up and had to bite her tongue to keep from bursting in glee. She did say she'd behave...

"Hello again Locket," Filly greeted. Locket just made a very small squeak and sat down, keeping her hands firmly clasped.

I will be good. I will not ask a million questions. I will behave...

Filly took her own seat and cast the priestess an amused look. The temptation to tease her was too great. ~After dinner do you wanna discuss the meaning of life and the answers to everything in existence?~

"YES!" Locket shouted, blushed, and hid her face. "Oh..."

Filly giggled.

[Darastrix]

Schuldig smirked. ~I think you've been around me too long.~

Nagi covered his mouth to hide his grin and sat beside Locket. ~What was that about?~

[Kender Bard]

Filly's baiting me, she thought and pouted at Nagi. She's offering to tell me all the secrets of the Forces.

~I learn from you~ she agreed, grinning. ~But Stars, it's so easy. And fun.~

Harmony sat down next to Filly, squirming slightly. "I wanted to bring Coal but Cook said no, unless it was in a pot."

"Who's Coal?" Filly asked.

"The pet bunny Locket gave me!" Harmony exclaimed. "He's so cute and fuzzy and sweet and I'm going to love him forever."

[Darastrix]

Nagi snickered quietly. ~You know she can't really do that.~

Schuldig grinned back. ~Isn't it, though?~ He turned and gave Locket a questioning look. "Where'd you get a rabbit?" He didn't know of anyone that sold pets, but then again, he'd never looked.

[Kender Bard]

She can't? Locket thought, genuinely surprised. She became distracted by Schuldig's question. "Anarlina. Along with most of the other stuff I got. I've been keeping it in my room and caring for it since I got it."

"You have a very large and sweet heart," Filly said, smiling at Locket. "And thank you for looking after my daughter while I was gone."

Locket swelled under the praise.

"Someday you'll make a fine mother," Filly added. It was a high compliment, to her.

"Hahaha!" Locket burst out laughing. "Yeah right! Soahc's balls, me with a baby! I'd probably set the poor thing down and forget where I put him! Or hell, worse, it'd probably take after me and go crawling into a well."

[Darastrix]

Nagi went red and then paled at Filly's complement to Locket. He wasn't thinking THAT far ahead yet. "You...you crawled into a well?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

Schuldig chuckled lowly. ~Don't think the kid's ready to start thinking parenthood at this point~

[Kender Bard]

Filly smiled and waved a hand. ~Oh I know, I just thought that Locket has good maternal instincts despite what she says. It's my way of complimenting her. I know they're not ready.~

Locket was amused by Nagi's reaction but thought to spare him embarassment. She sure didn't want kids yet. She'd get too fat to have fun. "No, I was actually a pretty good little 'un. Not that I didn't have ample opportunity. My folks spent all their concern and parental watchfulness on my big brother, so I guess they didn't have much left for me. One time I did go into a stranger's house though. She had the door open to sweep and I just walked right in and started exploring the house. She didn't find me until she went to put some laundry in a closet. There I was sleeping on the spare linen."

[Darastrix]

"Your parents must have been worried," Nagi commented, his expression amused.

Schuldig was likewise amused, though he couldn't help thinking how different their backgrounds were. If a child had just wandered into someone else's home in Morilanta, the kid would probably be claimed as a free slave. He shook his head slightly to chase away the thought and cut his eyes at Harmony. "Don't get any ideas."