Mithar Keep & Frescot House IV: Magic babble lies within

[Murkus]

[The Keep, Later]

"Seven. Seven of them, now," Adir says in an astonished whisper, while they watch the kids stare. "You're an absolute madwoman, you know that, Sakura?" He says, even as he kisses the cup of her ear rather affectionately.

The stag's eyebrows rise. Adir leans back and grins at the best-behaved of their three boys. Russell was good at being quiet too, but not quite so much as little Gwydion. "Well, see, these two didn't grow any flowers." Adir strokes the back of Cassandra's head. "Unluckily for them, they'll always have hair. Just like daddy."

Laela peers down into Laurena's crib, mouth in a little O shape. "They're so pretty." Laela looks at Sakura and, with a very Adir turn of phrase, adds, "Good job mommy!"

Cernunnos clambers up beside his brother to observe the same thing. Whoa.

[Shadowcaller]

[Mithar Keep]

Sakura bites her lip. Another pair of shooting hands. Adir's hands. She really doesn't like the sound of that, but... What can she say now? She wants to help them...

[Arriving]

"Cessie?" Zillia retreats from Sakura and moves back over to her real granddaughter. "Am I annoying you again? You know you should really tell me if I'm annoying you because I'm not always very good at... at telling."

[Mithar Keep]

Adir frowns more and more deeply. It sounds like there was a lot going on behind the scenes that he doesn't know about. The stag glances from Cessie to his wife, and he doesn't like what he sees written all over Sakura's face. He chokes on the words for a second and then says, with a slight stammer, "We'll, uh, have to talk about that." He grants Sakura a reassuring grin.

[Arriving]

Sakura keeps silent for the moment, her attention on Russell for the moment. She doesn't get why Cessie is upset either, because she's certainly not fine. No way she could pass that one off on Sakura.

[Mithar Keep]

Cessie glances at Sakura, she knew that look and here she was basically encouraging Adir to join VIGIL when he had a huge family to take care of. "You probably should, this is a pretty major decision. You might not even have much time with so many children to take care of." How did they make enough money to take care of that big a family anyway? Did Adir even have a job these days?

[Arriving]

"It's nothing really." Cessie ensures them. "I just prefer that term to be used within my biological family. Sister implies certain things that the rest of my family don't agree with." She explains.

[Gullara]

[Mithar Keep]

Oh jeez, now everyone is looking at her? Was she that easy to read? "Uh, yeah. We can talk about it later." Sakura pauses from gnawing her lip off long enough to say that.

[Arriving]

"Oh, you're worrying about it too much, Cessie. It's not like it really means anything important just cuz we say it. If it makes you feel better I can just say I care about you very very much." Sakura says lightheartedly. She doesn't want Cessie to be irritated over something like that!

[Murkus]

[Mithar Keep]

If Cessie thinks about it, she might remember that Adir most certainly does not have a day job. If she's asked Sakura, she might also know just how much of his armory he's been selling.

"So, uh..." Adir raises his eyebrows a little and smiles, best as he can. Trying to break up the awkward moment. "I hope we're not gonna trouble you too much Cessie. Can we check out your guest rooms? I can sleep anywhere, if the beds are small, orrrr..."

The scene could definitely be handwaved from here! If it's desired. If there's more to say, well...

[Arriving]

"Oh, she has such a way with words, doesn't she?" Zillia says of Sakura, sighing. Her smile is irrepressible. "I will say the same. Come, sit down Cessie! Relax. You are among those who love you." She is much too stuffy for this!

[Shadowcaller]

[Mithar Keep]

Yeah, I'm sure the scene can be handwaved from here.

[Arriving]

"Well, it's different in my family. Words matter you see. Who is and who is not biological family is very important." Cessie has a way of working herself up over small things.

[Gullara]

[The Keep, Later]

Sakura giggles at her little ones. They are too cute. "Oh seven isn't so many. What do you think, kids? Two more sisters to play with. It's gonna be lots of fun, huh?" She says with a big grin for her little ones. Gwydion nods enthusiastically and then goes to crawl down off the couch. He's gotta get a closer look at the other baby!

[Arriving]

"Well it's fine that my kids call you auntie Cessie, right? I mean, you basically are like family to us." Sakura has a worried little frown. Has Cessie not liked that all the time? What is Sakura supposed to think if that's true?

[Murkus]

[The Keep, Later]

"Y'know, hon, when I give Laela another little math lesson, I think you should probably sit in with her. Seven's a whole lot," Adir says, face a mask of seriousness. His half-smile shows through, given a couple seconds. "But I can't argue with the fun part."

Laela climbs onto the couch in Gwydion's place. Their first daughter leans in toward Cassandra, standing up on the couch beside Sakura's thigh. "...Can I touch her?" She knows what daddy said, but...

Cernunnos stands shoulder to shoulder with Gwydion and leans in toward his ear. "'Dey look jus like dad. But they don't got his horns..." Cern fans his hands out beside his head, in the closest approximation of antlers he can manage. Laurena sleeps on, tiny and fragile, her breath a scarce whisper.

[Arriving]

Zillia has little more to add to that. She is rather curious about the answer! Though she gives Cessie a big, reassuring smile.

[Shadowcaller]

[Arriving]

"Oh. I don't mind that. They're children after all." No one will take children seriously.
"Really, it's not that a big a deal for me. Let's just all relax a bit shall we? We've all had a stressful day."

[Gullara]

[The Keep, Later]

"Okay, but be very gentle. We don't wanna disturb her when she's eating." Sakura says in her warmest tone, her voice dipping to a whisper for emphasis. Little Cassandra isn't paying any mind to her big sister yet, so consumed is she with eating.

Gwydion is having some trouble seeing over the cradle. He goes up on his tiptoes and puts his hands on its edge. Careful, though! The rocking cradle is tipping much too far his way with the weight he's putting on it!

[Arriving]

Sakura relaxes and smiles, reassured now. She is their auntie Cessie after all, and it'd be terrible if that bothered her. "Okay, that's good. Maybe we can have something to drink. I'm pretty sure Adir got us a new jug of chocolate milk like I asked." Such a good husband he is, too.

[Murkus]

[The Keep - Later]

Laela looks between mommy and the baby enamored with her meal. Her mouth is open in a silly little o. With perhaps too-great care, she reaches out to touch the back of Cassie's head. She gasps and recoils almost right away as the baby shifts in her eating. Laela stifles a little giggle as she stamps her feet into the couch. Ooh, all this has got her so excited!

Sakura's attention may be dragged back to the other children after a moment. "Gwydion!" Adir only just remembers to hiss instead of Bark, and he lunges forward to grab the edge of the cradle. He tries to gently lower it out of Gwydion's grasp. "U-uh, no worries, son," he says with a small smile. "Here." The stag takes hold of Gwydion by his sides and lifts him up high enough to see inside the crib more clearly. Adir sighs. He needs to get a little sleep...

And of course, the obvious follows, perhaps slightly too loud... "Heyyy!" Cernunnos whines. "I wanna see!"

[Arriving]

"Oooh!" Zillia turns and peers at Sakura. "...What's that?" Chocolate milk, hmm... she's sure she's heard of that before... "How would one possibly make chocolate milk?"

[Gullara]

[The Keep, Later]

Gwydion looks like his heart just about jumped out of his chest after his dad's reaction. After he's lifted up, he just stares silently at his little sister.

Sakura is was ready to spring if she needed to, but she relaxes back into the couch when Adir handles the situation. It's a good thing there's four hands between the two of them. "Give Cern a boost too, honey." Sakura gives Laela her full attention again. The only downside is she can't watch all her babies react at once. Meanwhile Cassanda lets go of Sakura's breast and turns to look at Laela. She peers at her big sister through squinted eyes before burying her face in mom's chest again.

[Shadowcaller]

[Arriving]

"I'll pass. I just have some water. But I'm sure you'd love the milk as much as Sakura, Zillia." Cessie says. Unlike those two she actually had to watch her figure and she thought chocolate was too sweet for her. Milk itself wasn't very good either.

[Murkus]

[The Keep - Later]

Adir can't help but feel that he did something wrong with Gwydion. Agh. The boy is very well behaved when he's not creating havoc totally by accident. The stag doesn't want to be hissing or shouting at him. When Gwydion's got his eyeful, Adir sets him back down on his feet and moves Cern into the air. Smiling a little more gently as he does so. This is kinda nice, just... his wife. His kids. Maybe he just needs to let himself relax...

Laela's little eyebrows pop up at Cassandra's reaction. "She looked! She looked at me. What'ser name, mommy?" Laela's own irresistible eyes get turned on Sakura.

[Shadowcaller]

[Adir's Phone]

There is a unknown caller calling Adir's phone. How unusual, perhaps it's some bothersome relative who just learned how to use a phone?

[Murkus]

[Mithar Keep]

As if Adir wasn't paranoid enough at the moment. He stops where he is, standing over a block of half-chopped veggies. He frowns at the word Unknown.

The voice will hear an answering click. A rich, amiable voice answers, a little higher than the average male timbre. One can hear a faint accent, but it is a strange one indeed...

"Hello? Who's this?" He sounds... amiable, but there is subtle pressure.

[Shadowcaller]

[Mithar Keep]

"This is Ambrosia Ithil." A female voice replies. "Am I talking to Adir Frescot? I've been looking for you ever since I happened to met your wife in mallside a few weeks ago."

[Murkus]

[Mithar Keep]

"You are," Adir answers. He puts his phone in the crook between his head and his shoulder as he works on Sakura and Cessie's dinner. His ear flicks and brushes the receiver. "You've been, uh, looking for me? Is there something I can help you with?" Ah, Adir. Ever willing to lend a hand. He hopes Sakura hasn't offered his services without letting him know. Though some more work wouldn't be half bad...

[Gullara]

[Arriving]

"You've never had chocolate milk? Here, lemme show you! Cessie, hold Russell, will you?" Sakura puts the baby in Cessie's hands and then goes over to the fridge. Russell immediately grabs hold of Cessie's sleeves and starts to tug on them. He's definitely gonna suck on those of Cessie lets him!

Meanwhile, Sakura pulls the brown jug from the fridge. "They mix milk and chocolate or something. It's basically my favourite thing." She explains as she pours them each a tall glass full.

[The Keep, Later]

"Why do babies sleep so much?" Gwydion asks, looking up at his daddy.

"Because she's a baby! Babies sleep lots." Cern says confidently.

"Nuh uh, Russell is awake lots." Gwydion counters. That one stumps Cern. Russell is awake lots.

Sakura, meanwhile, replies to Laela. "Yes she did, sweetheart. Her name's Cassandra. Or Cassie for short." Sakura explains. It's going to be like Cern where they use the nickname most of the time, isn't it. Maybe they shoulda just named her Cassie and been done with it. Hm... Oh well. Sakura puts her arm around Laela to give her a cozy place to sit and watch the baby.

[Shadowcaller]

[Mithar Keep]

"Actually, I wanted to help you with something. But I'm not sure it's appropiate to discuss it over phone. To put it simply, your wife is afflicted by a spiritual entity. Nothing directly dangerous but potentially a cause of concern." Ambrosia replies.

[Murkus]

[Mithar Keep]

"Are you trying to say she's possessed?" Adir doesn't seem to understand. He sounds understandably worried. And just skeptical enough to be healthy. He looks past his shoulder, saying into the receiver, "Look, Miss Ithil, I hope I don't sound stupid when I say 'I think I would've noticed'. I'm around her almost all the time. When would she have even... What is this thing you think afflicts her? I mean, she's acting the same as she always has." And Adir's quite content with that. "Are you supposed to be some kind of ghost hunter?"

[Arriving]

"Oh, here I thought that was your children, Sakura!" Says Zillia, mouth turned up in a small gesture of amusement. She watches the rather interesting substance flow up in her glass, and when Sakura's done she lifts it to her mouth for a sloppy drink. "Ahh!" Zilla pops off the rim and wipes her mouth. "That is refreshing. Better than children by far."

[The Keep, Later]

Adir sits back and looks between his sons. "Babies sleep so much because... because they're tired from a lotta work getting here. And they're growing, all the time," The stag is just hazarding a decent guess. He does not touch on Russell, or precisely why that strange little infant is awake when he ought not to be. Russell as a topic of conversation is still rather hard for Adir to broach.

The stag glances at his wife to see what she thinks, if she's even paying enough attention. Laela, nestling in with her large gaze, is rather distracting. The tiny girl seems... content to be quiet for once. It's easy when you're so cozy with Mommy.

[Shadowcaller]

[Mithar Keep]

"You could say that I am, it's a family business of sort. But your wife isn't "possessed" in the traditional sense, the being afflicting her is a concept made form. Specifically the concept of fertility. It has likely been by her side for a long time, influencing her decisions so slowly that neither you or she noticed the change. It's basically a part of her right now, it becoming her and she becoming it. I understand your hesitation but I don't demand any compensation and I can prove my claim. I saw it myself when I met Sakura." Ambrosia explains.

[Arriving]

"Erm..." Cessie attempts to hold Russell away from her so he doesn't start to suck on her sleeves. Hopefully Sakura would be done with her chocolate milk, she wasn't too keen on dealing with this sort of thing.

[Murkus]

[Mithar Keep]

All quiet on the line for a moment. The gears are turning.

"And so you want to... remove this thing. Is that it?" Adir's voice is carefully neutral. "For free. Look, you say you have proof, and you say you've met my wife, but she... she never mentioned a thing about you, Miss Ithil. I'm gonna have to talk to her about this. And if we meet, I think she ought to be there..."

[Shadowcaller]

[Mithar Keep]

"Actually, I cannot guarantee it's removal. I simply wish to make sure you and your family is safe. A spirit like that can become dangerous if left unchecked. It's doubtful she will be understanding though, the spirit won't abide my presence. Still, she should probably be there. It will be up to you if you want me to exercise it once it revealed itself however."

[Murkus]

[Mithar Keep]

"Up to me and Sakura," Adir corrects. Still, this sounded bad. He couldn't simply brush it off as a hoax or a con. "Can you make Trog's tonight? Eight?" The stag sounds a little frustrated. "I'll be there. With or without her."

[Shadowcaller]

[Mithar Keep]

"I will be there Adir. Just be honest with your wife, there is no need for her to think this meeting is about anything else." Ambrosia suggests. "But I will see you there. Farewell." She will then hang up.

[Murkus]

[Mithar Keep]

Adir was already planning on honesty! He trusts his wife. Why wouldn't he? The stag frowns at the phone's face a moment and stuffs it back in his pocket.

"Hey? Sakura?" He calls out into the keep. Adir had thought she was just in the other room... "You around?" Shoot. He hopes he doesn't have to go looking.

[Gullara]

[Mithar Keep]

"I'm in here." Adir hears muted call from the living room. Hopefully he doesn't miss it, because she's trying not to wake Laurana. He'll find Sakura lying on the coach with the newborn lying on top of her, fast asleep. Russell is there too, standing unsteadily on the couch at Sakura's feet. He holds onto her legs to stay upright on the soft surface. He smiles toothily, displaying more teeth than average for a boy his age.

[Arriving]

Sakura laughs and almost snorts up some milk. "My favourite thing to drink! " She protests with a big grin. Silly Zillia. "Sure you don't want some, Cessie?" Sakura goes over to Cessie and Russell. "He's not gonna bite you know." Sakura teases. Cessie's awkwardness is plain to her. "Russell loves his auntie Cessie. Doesn't he? Doesn't he?" Russell babbles something, "Mama," the only distinguishable word.

[The Keep, Later]

Ooh, that makes sense. The twins natter at each other about the details, but they accept daddy's word as fact! Adir will find his wife smiling at him. Looks like she doesn't feel the need to correct him. Laela is free to baby watch as long as she wants while Sakura holds her.

[Murkus]

[Mithar Keep]

Adir perhaps does miss it at first, but he finds his way into the room regardless. A hand reaches out to ruffle the petals of Russell's flower. It isn't long before the stag's crept over to kneel at Sakura's side. Despite his propensity for chattering, Adir is a very quiet man when he wishes. Sakura knows just how sneaky her husband can be.

"Hey, sorry, I didn't know you were..." The stag looks at sleeping Laurena. He can't stop his smile. He sometimes can't help but feel he'll never have the same moments as Sakura... that his love will never be quite so profound. It is, thankfully, not a worry he dwells upon. His whispers resume, "We can talk about it later. There was a woman, on the phone... someone named Ambrosia?" The stag's mouth bunches up in a slight, quizzical frown. He sounds like he really is quite alright waiting... Sakura is with their baby at the moment.

[The Keep, Later]

As the blabbing goes on and Adir leans on his wife a little more, it'll soon become apparent how long the buck has been awake. His eyelids droop. His arm around Sakura's shoulders grows less tense... and in a few minutes he is dozing as soundly as his babies. Which might make it a little hard for Sakura to move...

But that's quite alright. Maybe she won't need to.

[Arriving]

"Now just which of you was that 'mama' directed towards?" Zillia asks, sauntering over with her glass in hand. She smiles at the two women.

[Shadowcaller]

[Arriving]

"I doubt he like to have me as his 'momma', I could never replace his current one." Cessie remarks with a small smile. "In fact, I suspect he wants back to her right now." She looks hopefully at the dryad.

[Gullara]

[Mithar Keep]

"Oh. Her." Sakura doesn't look especially pleased to hear that. "What is she doing calling you? I told her last time I saw her that there's nothing I needed her help with." How did she even get Adir's number?

[Arriving]

Sakura giggles and scoops Russell out of Cessie's hands. She managed the baby quite fine with one hand. it's almost as if she never needed to hand him off to Cessie in the first place. "He knows his mommy alright. Dontcha sweetie?" She gives her baby a kiss on his cheek. He gives her a slobbery 'kiss' back, prompting more giggles from the dryad.

[The Keep, Later]

"Uh oh, I think daddy's tired." Sakura says, her voice full of mirth. Not that she's not downright exhausted herself, but someone's gotta keep an eye on their gaggle of children. She'll entertain them for a while longer before she arranges for an opportunity to rest herself. Hopefully.