Echoes of the Past?|Aegestrom, Maelstrom

[Kender Bard]

Lya sighed hard at that, and the way her feathers fluffed gave clue to her irritation at that. "No," she admitted, grudgingly. "Though if you wish us to tell her, we should move swiftly. She should be heading to the audience chamber for her usual social calls to the noble children."

[Northen Light36]

Shadow nodded and quickly headed off to intercept his daughter before she made it to the audience chamber. "Lumi love," he said, putting a hand on the princess' shoulder. "Your mother and I need to speak to you, sweetheart."

[Kender Bard]

Luminous wasn't too disappointed in the change of plans but those words were always bad. "What is it?" she asked suspiciously. Queen rubbed against her legs, offering silent support, and Lady sat down on her other side.

[Northen Light36]

"Not here," Shadow replied. The last thing he wanted to do was have this discussion in the hallway. Taking Lumi by the hand, Shadow lead her back to Lya. "Lumi," he began with a sigh. "You need to know what happened in audience today, but I don't want you to get upset. It may end up being nothing. But a woman spoke up in audience today and, well, she's claiming to be Bastet and Pashet Sanderson's grandmother. She wants custody of the children."

[Kender Bard]

"Custody?" Luminous repeated, looking confused. That sounded like a dessert.

"She wants to keep them as her own," Lya explained.

"But Acqua and Mat are their parents!" Luminous protested, instantly defensive. "So tell her that!"

[Northen Light36]

"It's not quite that simple, sweetheart," Shadow replied gently. "There are a lot of factors to consider before your mother and I can make a decision. And one of those factors we have to think about is that, if this woman really is who she claims to be, the law says the twins belong to her." Shadow knelt down to be on his daughter's level and added seriously, "However, your mother and I both want to do what's best for your friends, so I promise you, we will be thinking very carefully about what to do."

[Kender Bard]

"If someone showed up and said that I really belonged to them, would you just give me away too?" Luminous asked with a defensive frown.

Lady mewled quietly. ~There's no point in arguing with your sire, Lumi. Humans have strange laws and you said he's in charge of them.~

I know, Luminous thought grimly. They're very stupid. I'm going to change that someday.

[Northen Light36]

"No, of course not Lumi," Shadow sighed. "You're not adopted though, sweetheart. You're our little girl. The law is different for adopted children, to try to keep them with their families as much as possible. This situation is very unusual."

[Kender Bard]

"Then change the law," Luminous insisted. "And say that a family is who raises you and who you love, not some random stranger! You can do it, Daddy, I know you can."

Lya winced at that.

[Northen Light36]

"It's not that simple, Lumi," Shadow repeated with a sigh. "I wish it was, but it's not. You'll understand when you're older. For now, just hope for the best all right, Lumi? And be there for your friends. It's all you can do right now."

[Kender Bard]

"You just won't!" Luminous replied angrily. "If you can change one thing there's no reason not to change another!"

"Luminous," Lya said in a warning tone. "Don't talk that way to your father."

Luminous made a muffled scream of frustration--a high pitched whining noise through her nose--and stomped off. Court could do without her today. She headed to her room.

When she got to her room (and slammed the door) she bent down and picked up Queen who was closest to her at the time and carried her to the bed. "Can you talk to Smudge for me?"

~I can~ Queen agreed as Lady jumped up and joined them.

"Tell Smudge to tell Bas and Pas I want them to come to the palace for a bit. And that they should go the secret way and I'll meet them."

Queen tried to push Lady out of Luminous's lap as she mentally tapped Smudge. ~Lumi has a message for Bas! She wants Bas and Pas to come visit her and to come the secret way.~

---

"Well, that could have gone better," Lya just sighed.

[Northen Light36]

"Indeed," Shadow sighed, rubbing his head. "First Flash, now Lumi. Ugh. Why don't we take Dami out for a stroll, love? I feel a sudden desire to take the afternoon off and get some fresh air."

---

~Bas says she'll need to get permission,~ Smudge replied. ~Things are a little upset here.~ After a long moment, Smudge tapped Queen and informed her, ~They're coming.~

[Kender Bard]

"Aye, I don't blame you," Lya agreed sympathetically and led Shadow off to fetch their baby.

---

~Smudge says they're coming~ Queen announced.

"Good," Luminous said firmly and cuddled them both.

Lady rubbed her head against Luminous's cheek, purring. ~What are you planning princess?~

"I'm going to do all I can to make things right," Luminous answered simply and left her room quietly to sneak out to the gardens.

[Northen Light36]

Pas and Bas made it to the secret way not too long after Lumi did. Having both hit a growth spurt recently, the twins had a bit of a struggle getting through the hole, but they made it through. "We're getting too big for that," Bas remarked, giving Lumi a smile that was more than a little strained.

"We can't stay long," Pas warned Lumi. "Muma's not comfortable with us going out at the moment."

[Kender Bard]

~Mama said things were upset there~ Queen announced as she twined between Bas's legs.

"Yeah, tell me why that is before I tell you why I asked you here," Luminous announced, beckoning to both as she started to head back to her own rooms again.