Echoes of the Past?|Aegestrom, Maelstrom
Aug 9, 2010 9:45:15 GMT -5
Post by Northen Light36 on Aug 9, 2010 9:45:15 GMT -5
“Lullay, lullay, my tiny child... Too soon you’ll know the world so wild... Yes all too soon, you will be grown, and I’ll bide here, alone, alone. The rushing billows you shall ride, and the will of the Starry Lady will be your guide. But yet awhile, I’ll have you stay. Lullay my sweet one, my child lullay,” Acqua sang quietly, smiling as baby Lillian's eyes drifted closed. Glancing towards the corner of the nursery, she saw that Letha was already asleep in the over-stuffed chair there. That's two down, one to go, she thought. Where's Robin?
~Playing with his carved animals,~ Pixie replied after a moment. ~Want me to get him into bed for his nap? Mat's taken the older three out to the market.~
Pixie, what would I do without you? Yes, please. Tell him I'll be in to tell him a story just as soon as Lily's asleep. It shouldn't be long now. Continuing to sing, Acqua lay Lillian in her crib and tiptoed across the room to cover Letha with a blanket before making her way to the doorway. Once there though, she couldn't resist turning back to spend a moment watching her two youngest sleeping. My baby girls, she thought with a content little sigh.
A loud knock at the door shattered the peacefulness of the room like a dropped glass. Acqua's good mood vanished as Lillian began to wail and Letha woke with a whine. Biting her lip to hold back a curse, Acqua picked up Lillian and began trying to soothe her baby even as she hurried to answer the door.
Echo? A second later Acqua shook off her shook and looked closer at the woman standing before her. Though she bore a striking resemblance to Echo, this woman was not her best friend returned from the dead. Her ears were some what rounder than Echo's, her tail thicker and longer, her skin was darker and her braided black hair had streaks of silver. “Can I help you?” Acqua asked, irritation returning as soon as the shock had faded.
“Are you Lady Sanderson?” the woman asked, her tone turning the question into a demand.
“I am.” Forces. Bas, Pas and Aries can't have gotten into trouble while Mat's with them, can they? “Again, can I help you?”
“My name is Esmeralda Shadowpaw,” the woman replied. “I believe you have my granddaughter, Bastet?” She paused, then added, “And my grandson too. Thank you for taking them in, it was kind of you, but I'll take them now. They are, after all, my flesh and blood.”
It took Acqua a long moment to stop staring at Esmeralda and reply, “You have to be joking or mad. Look, madam, I have no idea who you are. But I do know two things. Echo was an orphan and there is no way in the world that I am letting some woman turn up five years after she died and just take my son and daughter.”
“Muma?” Letha peeked out from behind Acqua. “What's going on?”
“Nothing Letha,” Acqua replied. “Go to your room and play with Robin.”
“Oh, of course I won't just take the children,” Esmeralda replied, ignoring the exchange between mother and daughter. “I wouldn't dream of not repaying you for the expense of caring for them. After all, it was money taken out of what could have been better spent on your own little ones.”
“You know,” Acqua replied, “you must be the first Beast I've ever meet with a hearing problem. I don't care if you're a grandmother, a Queen or a Force, you are not taking my children. Now, I suggest you leave the grounds of my home at once or I shall call for the guard to escort you out more forcefully.”
“Well, I...” Esmeralda glared at Acqua. “We'll just see about that, my girl. Those children are mine by right of blood and if you won't be reasonable, I'll just have to take this matter higher up.” With that, she turned on her heel and stalked towards Brightmore manor.
Acqua closed the door and looked down at Letha. “Don't looked so troubled, sweetie. That woman was just being rude. Come on, its nap time for you, Robin and Lilly.” Pixie, tell Mat to bring the twins and Aries home right away.
She'd feel better when her family was safely where she could see them.
Still fuming, Esmeralda reached Brightmore Manor in time for the daily audience. impatiently she waited for her change to speak. Just as the Audience was winding down, she stepped forward. "Your majesties, forgive me for taking up your time, but a matter has arisen that I need to ask you about."
She curtsied a second time and continued, "My name is Esmeralda Shadowpaw and I have been searching for my daughter for nearly twenty years, after she was taken from me by her father. Recently I discovered that my dear daughter, Echo, has died, but she did produce two children, currently going by the names Bas and Pas Sanderson. Naturally, I want to take my grandchildren home with me, so they can be raised in their own culture. However, the young woman raising them has, quite rudely, denied me the chance to even see the children. Your majesties, forgive me but in Humontis a blood relative is considered the best carer for a child. Is that not true here as well?"
Flash stayed silent, gritting his teeth as he searched for something to say. Echo had been a guild orphan, as he had. Surely she couldn't have had a parent out there? But he could hardly announce that.
~Playing with his carved animals,~ Pixie replied after a moment. ~Want me to get him into bed for his nap? Mat's taken the older three out to the market.~
Pixie, what would I do without you? Yes, please. Tell him I'll be in to tell him a story just as soon as Lily's asleep. It shouldn't be long now. Continuing to sing, Acqua lay Lillian in her crib and tiptoed across the room to cover Letha with a blanket before making her way to the doorway. Once there though, she couldn't resist turning back to spend a moment watching her two youngest sleeping. My baby girls, she thought with a content little sigh.
A loud knock at the door shattered the peacefulness of the room like a dropped glass. Acqua's good mood vanished as Lillian began to wail and Letha woke with a whine. Biting her lip to hold back a curse, Acqua picked up Lillian and began trying to soothe her baby even as she hurried to answer the door.
Echo? A second later Acqua shook off her shook and looked closer at the woman standing before her. Though she bore a striking resemblance to Echo, this woman was not her best friend returned from the dead. Her ears were some what rounder than Echo's, her tail thicker and longer, her skin was darker and her braided black hair had streaks of silver. “Can I help you?” Acqua asked, irritation returning as soon as the shock had faded.
“Are you Lady Sanderson?” the woman asked, her tone turning the question into a demand.
“I am.” Forces. Bas, Pas and Aries can't have gotten into trouble while Mat's with them, can they? “Again, can I help you?”
“My name is Esmeralda Shadowpaw,” the woman replied. “I believe you have my granddaughter, Bastet?” She paused, then added, “And my grandson too. Thank you for taking them in, it was kind of you, but I'll take them now. They are, after all, my flesh and blood.”
It took Acqua a long moment to stop staring at Esmeralda and reply, “You have to be joking or mad. Look, madam, I have no idea who you are. But I do know two things. Echo was an orphan and there is no way in the world that I am letting some woman turn up five years after she died and just take my son and daughter.”
“Muma?” Letha peeked out from behind Acqua. “What's going on?”
“Nothing Letha,” Acqua replied. “Go to your room and play with Robin.”
“Oh, of course I won't just take the children,” Esmeralda replied, ignoring the exchange between mother and daughter. “I wouldn't dream of not repaying you for the expense of caring for them. After all, it was money taken out of what could have been better spent on your own little ones.”
“You know,” Acqua replied, “you must be the first Beast I've ever meet with a hearing problem. I don't care if you're a grandmother, a Queen or a Force, you are not taking my children. Now, I suggest you leave the grounds of my home at once or I shall call for the guard to escort you out more forcefully.”
“Well, I...” Esmeralda glared at Acqua. “We'll just see about that, my girl. Those children are mine by right of blood and if you won't be reasonable, I'll just have to take this matter higher up.” With that, she turned on her heel and stalked towards Brightmore manor.
Acqua closed the door and looked down at Letha. “Don't looked so troubled, sweetie. That woman was just being rude. Come on, its nap time for you, Robin and Lilly.” Pixie, tell Mat to bring the twins and Aries home right away.
She'd feel better when her family was safely where she could see them.
Still fuming, Esmeralda reached Brightmore Manor in time for the daily audience. impatiently she waited for her change to speak. Just as the Audience was winding down, she stepped forward. "Your majesties, forgive me for taking up your time, but a matter has arisen that I need to ask you about."
She curtsied a second time and continued, "My name is Esmeralda Shadowpaw and I have been searching for my daughter for nearly twenty years, after she was taken from me by her father. Recently I discovered that my dear daughter, Echo, has died, but she did produce two children, currently going by the names Bas and Pas Sanderson. Naturally, I want to take my grandchildren home with me, so they can be raised in their own culture. However, the young woman raising them has, quite rudely, denied me the chance to even see the children. Your majesties, forgive me but in Humontis a blood relative is considered the best carer for a child. Is that not true here as well?"
Flash stayed silent, gritting his teeth as he searched for something to say. Echo had been a guild orphan, as he had. Surely she couldn't have had a parent out there? But he could hardly announce that.