Mithar Keep & Frescot House IV: Magic babble lies within

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"It's a long story," Wenomir says with a sigh. "Did Cessie tell anything about how the old Vigil tower fell?"

[Sunny Afternoon]


"Not hardly a thing. It helps when one doesn't ask. Although I should suppose I'll ask now!" Zillia says, her smile returned just a bit as she flicks a gaze back toward Wenomir.

[UncleWolf]

Weekend Morning

"Dull of intelligence?" A short phrase of words Cessie have zoomed in on. "I'm afraid you have to show proof of that, since that sounds like a boldface lie to me." She muses. "I didn't know you were such a rebel at a young age though. I never really had that rebellious spark." Expect the whole banishment thing of course. "Of course, I had no parents I could openly rebel against like you. While your father had, shall we say, questionable methods of raising you, my parents simply let someone else raise me. The church to be specific, though I don't think it's anything like your church." Cessie didn't think highly of the emperor-cult. Even faith should be put into moderation, that was one of Artati's teachings.

Weekend Morning

"Let's be fair here, Cessie. Nothing is like the Imperial Cult. And that's a good thing." Jezebel points out with a frown. "As for rebelling, I've never been able to figure out if he hated it, or if he was somehow proud of it. He was as distant as a father could be I suppose. Maxwell was more of a father." She says, referring to her family's head butler. "And honestly, I feared his disappoint far more. Mostly because he'd make me scrub the grease out of the carpets." She adds with a smile and a chuckle.

[Reinholdt]

Family Room

Ilpholin uses her foot to lightly nudge one of the toys with contempt. What's all this? These aren't target dummies or weapons or literature on the love of Lolth. Sure, she had toys when she was younger, but this volume seems too much. She hasn't even seen a single obstacle training course since arriving. Unless you counted the security constructs.

Why she bets that underneath that moving box, she won't even find the boy they're looking for. Rather it'll be some saccharine pet with eyes too adorable to be contained in this reality. What soft frailty!

Still, she will go and lift the bin up to check. She's rather fond of animals, even if they do represent a problem.

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"The demons infiltrated us, took down our defences, and sent an army to destroy us," Wenomir explains. "And I believe they used my girlfriend to do it. Whether or not they did, I haven't seen her since."

[Shadowcaller]

Weekend Morning

"Let's be fair here, Cessie. Nothing is like the Imperial Cult. And that's a good thing." Jezebel points out with a frown. "As for rebelling, I've never been able to figure out if he hated it, or if he was somehow proud of it. He was as distant as a father could be I suppose. Maxwell was more of a father." She says, referring to her family's head butler. "And honestly, I feared his disappoint far more. Mostly because he'd make me scrub the grease out of the carpets." She adds with a smile and a chuckle.

Weekend Morning

"I've met a few religions that's are at least as awful as that cult, though probably not as large." Cessie counters."Your father certainly had eccentric methods. At least my parents handed me over to someone who knew how to raise children." But she wasn't going to talk more about Jezebel's father. "So I've had my fair share of scrubbing the floors as well, though I suspect everyone thinks I had a extremely pampered childhood. But it wasn't like I got a free pass from work. Not that I would ever complain, I have been very fortunate." Despite her parents and oldest brothers death, Arik's lichhood, the whole banishment... and stuff.

[Gullara]

"Eh, what's in a name? She barely called me mine. Just kept using the word 'Stag'," Adir shrugs, and lifts a finger to tickle the tip of Cassandra's nose. "Don't worry baby. I'll find out. Hells, you can ask her yourself! For some reason or another she asked that my family be along for this... initiation ceremony. Maybe it's, like, a test?" He looks aside, remembering the events that transpired at the Empress' keep. "Yeeeeeah. Strenuous. Physically taxing."

[Backyard]

"Wait wait. The whole family? All the kids too?" It's kind of strange, but really the prospect of getting all the kids to some kind of ceremony is just daunting. There's not a chance they're all going to behave if it's remotely long.

Family Room

Ilpholin uses her foot to lightly nudge one of the toys with contempt. What's all this? These aren't target dummies or weapons or literature on the love of Lolth. Sure, she had toys when she was younger, but this volume seems too much. She hasn't even seen a single obstacle training course since arriving. Unless you counted the security constructs.

Why she bets that underneath that moving box, she won't even find the boy they're looking for. Rather it'll be some saccharine pet with eyes too adorable to be contained in this reality. What soft frailty!

Still, she will go and lift the bin up to check. She's rather fond of animals, even if they do represent a problem.

Family Room

Surely Ilpholin underestimates the number of children here. A small mountain of toys might be excessive, but the scattering in this room is nothing!

Ilpholin won't find an animal under the box. It's a young boy after all, with dark skin, deer-like ears, and flowery hair so pale pink that it's almost white. It's been some time since Ilpholin saw Sakura and Adir last, but he's quite clearly their child. He looks up at her with wide eyes, shocked to see a stranger found him instead of Jillian.

"There you are!" Jillian squeals. She runs across the room and practically tackles the boy. He mutters something quietly about being under the box, but Ilpholin would need to strain to hear him clearly. Jillian turns her attention upward. "You found him!"

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Zillia's eyes bulge. "Oh, sweet one, that's terrible!" The old nymph laments, voice actually quavering. She turns to him, and even tries to have them stop a moment. Hand pressed into his bicep. "You must be so lonely, Wenomir. I do apologize for my uncouth and coquettish conduct. I must solely have caused you further distress." Zillia's lips push together poutily.

Zillia shakes her head, braid wagging. When she turns off down the hall, it's with her fists clenched. "Why, I have half a mind to go and give these demon what-have-you's a piece of it. The half, you know. Burning down people's houses! Why, poor Adir and Sakura... theirs is naught but a cinder! Now you! Ugh!" She hurries ahead of him, clearly distraught.

"People don't understand," Zillia says as they come to a corner in the halls, putting her hand on the stonework. "Houses. How do you think a home feels, being burnt down to it's toes like that? Every stroke of a mason's spade, every brick laid in careful order, every nail nailed, every beam bowed with the weight of it's responsibilities... such purpose homes have. Such determined, noble kami. Oh, it's like agony..." She brings her fist to her breast and presses it there, as though truly in pain.

Of course, Wenomir and Zillia may perhaps have forgotten one thing... in this case it's little Laela, poking her head out from behind the very same corner Zillia had just been about to turn. "Wha' happened to mommy and daddy's house?" She asks in her sweet, delicate, fragile little voice.

Her eyes are very large! As are Zillia's, all of a sudden, as she whips her head between the little one and Wenomir.

[Backyard]

"Apparently! I'm sure they'll put us up for at least the night. I understand the initiation can be a little... draining. Um. They said I might need you all to take care of me...?" Adir sounds lost again. He smiles at Cassandra. "I sure wouldn't mind seeing all these little faces around if I'm gonna have some down-time though."

[Reinholdt]

Family Room

That's definitely true. Ilpholin expected there would be two kids, maybe three at most. She didn't plan on Sakura's kids being here. Really should have read more of those memos she ignored.

"Ah ha! So I did." She's still a little disappointed it wasn't a puppy, but gives Jillian a victory smile all the same. "Now that you've caught him, you're free to do with him as you please. No more hiding for you, Gwydion."

[Shadowcaller]

Family Room

By now Cessie finally descends into the family room with Garn in tow. The gargoyle peeking out behind the sorceress as if he was trying to hide behind her, despite the fact he is so much larger than his master. "Ilpholin?" She asks, skeptically. "I never though I'd see you again." She pauses. "Um, are you well?

[Gullara]

[Family Room]

As soon as her mother arrive, Jillian grabs Gwydion's hand and pulls him over to her. The boy offers no resistance, even though he could, being a year older than her! "Mommy mommy, look! We found Gwyd-ee-on!" With her free hand she clings to her mom's skirts.

[Backyard]

Cassie burbles at her dad and reaches her hands up to touch her daddy's silly face. Sakura, on the other hand, looks concerned all of a sudden. "Draining? Just what kind of job is this supposed to be again?" That sounds out of the ordinary to her.

[Reinholdt]

Family Room

Gwydion is well trained after all. Excellent.

Ilpholin turns around to face Cesssie, making sure her cape flutters as dramatically as possible. She smirks knowingly at Garn before focusing her attention. "You thought I settled down with Darcy's family forever, hmm? I am doing well, thank you. You have a lovely daughter." She inclines her head towards Jillian.

[UncleWolf]

Weekend Morning

Jezebel gives a solemn nod. "All else aside, I think we've both been rather fortunate and that's something I need to try and keep in mind more often." She admits. "We're still here, we have families and places to live with friends who care about us." The goddess reasons. "And I must admit, I have always been curious about your world. It has always seemed like an amazing place."

[Shadowcaller]

Family Room

Cessie instinctively kneels down to her daughters level before she answers Ilpholin. "You and our guest, ladybug?" She asks as she gently ruffles Jillian's red hair. "He'll have to hide better next time, won't he?" She smiles at the two toddlers before her attention returns to the nymph. "Mm, Jillian is a fine young lady. She takes after me a lot." No Ilpholin, don't make this conversation about babies, you'll lure Sakura out from her baby-hole. D=

Weekend Morning

"Amazing?" Cessie smiles. "I don't know about that, to me it is rather mundane. While you'd say everything is mundane compared to the nexus, I'd say it isn't anything like your world either. I can't think anything that is especially noteworthy about it that you haven't seen here."

[Gullara]

[Family Room]

"Yes, mommy. He was in the toy box and we found him." Jillian hugs her mom's arm to her chest and twists to grin back at Ilpholin. She's firmly latched herself onto Cessie.

"Come on, Jillian." Gwydion gives Jillian's sleeve a light tug. "We gotta find Cern or he wins."

Jillian's eyes go wide. She forgot! "Mommy mommy? Come help us look." She pleads, giving her mom her most heart melting look. Jillian is always trying to get her mom to play with her, and this time is no different.

[Reinholdt]

[Family Room]

Well it's not like Ilpholin can talk about all the important adult talking things while the children are hanging off Cessie like that. High and harsh standards doesn't always include breaking their minds to harden their mental fortitude. Much as she wants to ask what happened to their dad.

"You're not going to let Cern win, are you Cessie?" That would mean they lost!

[Murkus]

[Backyard]

Cassie burbles at her dad and reaches her hands up to touch her daddy's silly face. Sakura, on the other hand, looks concerned all of a sudden. "Draining? Just what kind of job is this supposed to be again?" That sounds out of the ordinary to her.

Daddy's face shifts so he can stick his tongue out at Cassandra. "Bluh!" The stag ruffles her hair. The soft, dry brown on Cassie's head was perhaps one of the more pleasant things he would ever touch, or so the stag imagined, and he would admit it was sometimes an interesting change of pace from vines and flowers. When he looks up at Sakura, he's somehow surprised to see her concern!

"Oh, you know, running, jumping, chasing, fighting. That sort of thing. Probably." Adir grins. "You could just ask her. If you'll, ahem," the stag inclines his head and holds out his hand to Sakura. His eyes are shut reverently. "Favor me with your company. M'lady."

He opens his eyes just so he can upset the mock-chivalrous picture with a fool's wink.

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Wenomir stops in his tracks, and opens his mouth. That's... by the Riddle.

"Didn't your parents tell you?"

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"They said it went away," Laela explains, coming out from behind the corner. "An' we can't go see. How come?"

"H-um... Well..." Zillia looks a bit antsy! Her quivering lips crimp with dismay, halfway to a panicked frown. In fact, it seems to be rather serious, as with another flick of her animate braid she seems to simply disappear! The light in the corridor swallows her up, and she is gone.

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Wenomir frowns at where Zillia used to be. She's just going to bail, leaving him to deal with Laela on his own? Disgraceful.

"I don't know, Laela. I'm just your uncle. Maybe we should find your parents and ask, hm?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Family Room]

"Yes, mommy. He was in the toy box and we found him." Jillian hugs her mom's arm to her chest and twists to grin back at Ilpholin. She's firmly latched herself onto Cessie.

"Come on, Jillian." Gwydion gives Jillian's sleeve a light tug. "We gotta find Cern or he wins."

Jillian's eyes go wide. She forgot! "Mommy mommy? Come help us look." She pleads, giving her mom her most heart melting look. Jillian is always trying to get her mom to play with her, and this time is no different.

[Family Room]

Well it's not like Ilpholin can talk about all the important adult talking things while the children are hanging off Cessie like that. High and harsh standards doesn't always include breaking their minds to harden their mental fortitude. Much as she wants to ask what happened to their dad.

"You're not going to let Cern win, are you Cessie?" That would mean they lost!

[Family Room]

This wasn't exactly how Cessie had imagined a meeting with Ilpholin to go. "Yes, but is it really fair if you both have me and Ilpholin here helping you?" Cessie asks with a gesture at the nymph. "The others won't accuse of cheating, right?"

[UncleWolf]

Weekend Morning

"Amazing?" Cessie smiles. "I don't know about that, to me it is rather mundane. While you'd say everything is mundane compared to the nexus, I'd say it isn't anything like your world either. I can't think anything that is especially noteworthy about it that you haven't seen here."

Weekend Morning

"I'd say the only thing truly exceptional about my world is the scale in which it has grown. That and how bleak the entire affair is." Jezebel admits as she holds open the front door for Cessie. Once they're out and walking, she'll walk beside Cessie as she looks over the land. "I do have a particular question about your homeworld though. How does a Hestopian Noblewoman prefer to be courted?" She asks, a slight smile on her lips. Yep, no ulterior motive there. At all.

Nope.

[Shadowcaller]

Weekend Morning

"That's a rather specific question." Jezebel's lack of subtly reminded her of Harnel in a way, but Jezebel seemed far more... composed. She knew exactly what she was doing all the time, there was nothing unintentional in the way she acted or spoke. Every little gesture exactly calculated. It felt strange to be with a person like that, or rather, it felt strange to have a person like that actually being in love with her. Those were usually the kind of people Cessie were used to opposing.
"I could tell you what the traditional methods are, but I'm afraid that I'm not in the traditional camp. So you might just have to surprise me on that one if we're doing this."

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Wenomir frowns at where Zillia used to be. She's just going to bail, leaving him to deal with Laela on his own? Disgraceful.

"I don't know, Laela. I'm just your uncle. Maybe we should find your parents and ask, hm?"

[Sunny Afternoon]

"Um... okay..." Laela scurries up to him. Her steps look more like tiny, energetic bounces than toddles now, and it makes the little girl leave petals everywhere she goes. "I miss it. I painted my room, with daddy, an' I wanna paint my new room, but daddy says Auntie Cessie would have an' ummmm..." The little girl narrows her gaze. "A conn-ip-tion. Whatsa conniption? Issit like a baby?"

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"I think it just means she wouldn't be happy." Wenomir makes himself sound like he doesn't know what it means either. "Your dad likes to use clever words to confuse people. You and your mom need to watch out."

[Gullara]

[Family Room]

This wasn't exactly how Cessie had imagined a meeting with Ilpholin to go. "Yes, but is it really fair if you both have me and Ilpholin here helping you?" Cessie asks with a gesture at the nymph. "The others won't accuse of cheating, right?"

[Family Room]

Jillian purses her lips as she works through that logic in her mind. "Okay..." With that opening, Gwydion pokes her arm. "Okay okay! You gotta play later mommy!" She announces before she turns and the two kids hurry off and out of the room.

[Reinholdt]

[Family Room]

Ilpholin gives a parting wave to the two kids. "Good luck."

After they leave, she addresses Cessie. "I take it Gwydion is Sakura's. Is she living with you?"

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Laela finds her way to Wenomir's side and tries to close her hands around his much larger one. Her eyes widen when the warrior explains about her father. "Whaaa?" Laela's eyes roll up to him curiously. They're even larger up close. "Why's he do that?" Daddy sure could be confusing sometimes...

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"He thinks it's funny," Wenomir says, letting Laela takes his hand. "Your dad likes to make people laugh, doesn't he?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Family Room]

Off they go!

Cessie smiles at them and then turns to Ilpholin. "Yes, he's certainly not mine. The Frescots are staying here a while until they find a new home for themselves. The last one was..." She glances around to ensure no kids were around. "...destroyed by demons. It has been a struggle ever since, I've helped them as much as I can."

[Reinholdt]

[Family Room]

The flash of rage and hate is as much evident in Ilpholin's eyes as it is in her voice. "{Censored} demons!" Oh my. I do hope the room is as devoid of eavesdropping children as Cessie believes it to be.

Ilpholin takes a breath and forces calm upon herself. "You'll have to fill me in on what happened. Why would demons be after the Frescots?" The nymph can imagine many targets they might have and the Frescots are exceptionally low on that list.