Mithar Keep & Frescot House IV: Magic babble lies within

[Gullara]

[Sunny Afternoon]

There's no sign of the kids immediately, but the house is hardly quiet. The sounds of children can be heard from somewhere deeper into the home. After Zillia's call, they rapidly approach. There's the thump thump thump of little feet before the three eldest burst onto the scene. They crowd around the two adults and greet them. Hi gramma, hi Wenomir.

[Chasing Troublemakers]

Sakura takes a steadying breath and takes Adir's hands. "Okay..." Her attempts to compose herself aren't working well. Her hands are shaking in Adir's.

[UncleWolf]

Weekend Morning

Jezebel actually sits there and thinks for a while, considering her options. "On what basis would I run however? I cannot simply come out and accuse the mayor of being corrupt after all. People seem to be happy and respectful of him even if they're seemingly driven by fear for most matters. What could I promise them?"

[Shadowcaller]

Weekend Morning

"Less executions? A more human treatment of the people of Eastside? You could be a ideological candidate, and back it up with the resources you control. Use the ideology of those who founded the Eastside democracy, and claim that you're trying to bring back those ideals. You probably should bring facts to the table though, you might have to find out a bit about what this mayor have been doing. If he really is as xenophobic and corrupt as he appears to be." Cessie argues. "That way you can paint a contrast between you. Better be open about your past too so you use up all the ammunition that they could use against you. 'I have changed for the better, and so can this city' could be your slogan?" The sorceress suggests with a amused smile.

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"You seem a kind man," says Zillia, glancing away from Wenomir as she hears the sounds of clamoring feet. The warrior can watch Zillia's face break out in a delighted smile, even at the mere sound of them. She turns in ridiculous circles just trying to follow the lot of them, her dress and braid swirling. "Children! Hello! I've got some flowers for you... and I suspect Wenomir has something even better." She offers the little basket to them. There are all manner of summer blooms inside... and a few strangely petaled things that certainly don't originate anywhere near the Keep.

[Chasing Troublemakers]

Adir tries to sit beside his wife, hands never leaving hers, and pulls her as close against him as possible. "Cessie's gonna keep us safe. You know that, right?" His eyes are wide, and worried for her. He and Lucy lean against her gently, the small baby reaching out needful hands toward Sakura's face. Utterly and blessedly oblivious.

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"That's not a word I've heard used to describe me often," Wenomir says. Then, the children appear. He smiles and goes down on one knee, so as not to tower over them. He's rather taller than most people around them. "That's right. I've got gifts for you. Have you been nice to your parents? You haven't been giving them a hard time, I hope."

[Gullara]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Bastion takes the basket, while his sister grabs some flowers and puts them in his hair. "Bastion, you're pretty!" Laela joins in and the girls giggle gleefully. Bastion is less enthusiastic, but he doesn't complain.

Oh, but Wenomir has their attention now! The kids crowd in front of him, jostling each other to be in front. Yes, no. The kids lie through their teeth, but they don't think they're troublemakers. Laela, ever impatient, bursts out. "What is it?"

[Chasing Troublemakers]

Sakura leans close to Adirr, taking all the comfort he can offer. Sakura laughs with tears in her eyes and bends closer to her darling daughter. "You wanna make mommy feel better too, sweetie?" She gives Lucy a kiss.

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Zillia grins and titters at the children's adorning of Bastion, then steps back to allow Wenomir space. "I think Bastion prefers the word handsome, darlings, and he very much is," she adds, uncharacteristically demure. She holds her hands clasped in front of her hips in a matronly display of passivity, not bothering to correct the children's little deceptions.

[Chasing Troublemakers]

Lucy is positively astonished! Mommy gave her a kiss! It isn't as though that happens all the time. She has that look of wonderment babies often possess when they're pleased. The little girl's fingertips slide against her mother's cheek, and her eyes squint a little as she grins. Seems she agrees.

"I feel like going to sleep all over again," Adir admits, huffing out a breath. His hangover reasserting itself after the excitement wasn't helping... it was less a headache or nausea and more a feeling of weight, his eyes drooping without really feeling drowsy. They're even shut right now, as he holds Lucy and his wife.

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

It doesn't take Wenomir's keen people-reading skills to realize the children are lying. Oh well. He can't possibly withhold the gifts now, can he?

"One for each of you, my dear troublemakers." He unwraps the package.

"For Cora, a warrior's overcoat." He produces a kid-sized tabard, much like those he wears when he wants to look official. But instead of Vigil's crest, there's a serpentine dragon on it.

"For Laela, something that reminded me of what the prettiest girl in my village got each summer." It's a copper circlet, to fit on Laela's head, adorned with stylized flowers and apples. Of course, his village used real fruit and grains woven into a flower wreath.

"And for Bastion, a scarf. I remember scholars wearing those to remind people of their station." It's indeed a rather expansive, dark yellow scarf that can be wrapped around one's neck, shoulders or face.

[Gullara]

[Sunny Afternoon]

The kids' immediate reaction is a delighted cacophony. They grab at their gifts and immediately set into them. Laela puts the circlet onto her head, beaming brightly. Bastion figures out his gift quickly too. It's kinda like the ones mommy makes him wear in the winter. He wraps it twice around his neck, practically covering his whole face in the process. It's Cora that need more help. "How do I put it on?!" Cora tries to tug at Wenomir's sleeve, practically shouting in her excitement. Cessie would not stand for how impolite they're being if she were here. They're just so excited, though!

[Chasing Troublemakers]

Sakura lets Adir go so she can hold her daughter close. She leans against her husband, resting her head. Today's been such a long day already. She's exhausted. Maybe for a while she can retreat into the comfort of Adir''s arms and forget the world around her. Garn will make sure the kids stay put. She can afford to take a moment to rest.

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"Oooh-hoohoohoo! Aren't they wonderful!" Zillia claps her small hands together and practically bounces along with the children. Zillia doesn't stop them from being loud or rude, but she does go on to advocate, "Go on and thank him then darlings, if you like your little gifts so much! Mister Wenomir is just about as sweet as summertime, isn't he?"

[Chasing Troublemakers]

Adir isn't even thinking quite that far ahead. He squeezes the pleasant feminine duo in his arms, and his head falls back against the couch, eyes opening minutely. He has but a moment more of thought before he drifts off to stress-induced sleep. He begs, silently and to a nameless god, that his family will be left alone.

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Wenomir isn't wearing sleeves, as a matter of fact. He's wearing one of his usual drab sleeveless shirts. Still, he looks down at Cora when she asks.

"You need to pull it over your head, Cora," he says. "Treat it like a really big shirt without sleeves."

He glances at Zillia, glad that someone is trying to teach the kids to be polite. He doesn't feel like it's his place to do so right now.

[Gullara]

[Sunny Afternoon]

The kids have the decency to look ashamed as they say thank you. They all know better than that!

Cora rushes over to Zillia and holds up the tabard. "Gramma gramma help me put it on!" It'll probably go on fine over the proper little dress.

"Lookit me! I'm the prettiest giiirl~" Laela sing songs, skipping circles around Bastion. The boy tries to turn to follow her, but that's gonna make him dizzy. @.@

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Wenomir glances at Zillia, and the nymph gives him a wink in reply. She titters at the children, especially at Laela. When Cora approaches, the old mother squats down to her level and smiles at her. "Surely. Though I can't imagine what your mother will say," Zillia says, amused, as she lifts the tabard over Cora's head. She'll help yank it down over her 'proper' clothing and beam at her when it's done.

"Would mister Wenomir like some tea, while he's here?" Zillia asks, still knelt down on their level. Her smile is full of warmth and welcome. "Or some other comfort?"

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"Cessie will understand that I need to encourage martial proclivities in youth. I hope," Wenomir says. "I wouldn't mind some tea while I'm here." It'd be impolite to refuse.

[Gullara]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Cora beams up at Zillia and then scurries over to the other kids. "Come on, I need my sword! Let's play storybook!" Cora leads the rush out of the room. Each of the kids' imaginations are running wild with how to explain their gifts in their game.

Just before they exit, Bastion remembers last moment. "Bye Wenomir, thank you!" The girls echo him hastily before grabbing his hands and pulling him along. There's no time to waste!

((Feel free to continue without the kids unless you wanna pull them back into the scene at any point.))

[Murkus]

((Geez, Mort, sorry, I didn't think I'd delayed my posts here and Inside this long. The weekend ate me alive.))

[Sunny Afternoon]

Zillia waves, mostly at the children's backs as they make a hasty exit, and turns her head to smile at Wenomir as she clasps her hands demurely in front of herself. "Such beautiful children. It's good that they should be in such a rush to enjoy life. Our time is short, no?" Zillia glances after them again, blinking. "Well, not mine exactly, but I suppose even seven hundred years is a mere blink in God's eye, isn't that right?" Her smile animates again. "How about that tea?" She'll beckon him in the direction of the Mithar's kitchen, if he wishes to follow.

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"Cessie, Sakura and Adir can be proud of them, certainly," Wenomir says as he follows. Then he quirks an eyebrow. "Seven hundred, really?"

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"Oh, something like that. Forget about the numbers, sweet one. You can be sure you're wiser than I, though most people can be sure of that," Zillia says with a small half-smile turned back toward Wenomir.

They arrive in Cessie's kitchen in short order. "What manner of tea do you enjoy?" She asks, leaning up to throw an overhead cabinet open, stretching onto the tips of her bare toes. She doesn't look like she'll be able to reach anything up there. "Come, come look," she goes back to him and guides the casually dressed warrior forward, trying to put her hands on his bare arms to push him on. As though he'd understand any of what he's looking at: various boxes, pots, cups and canisters full of tea leaves. "I have a little something for strength, for virility..." She winks. "I know, I know. But you can never have enough of those."

[UncleWolf]

Weekend Morning

"Less executions? A more human treatment of the people of Eastside? You could be a ideological candidate, and back it up with the resources you control. Use the ideology of those who founded the Eastside democracy, and claim that you're trying to bring back those ideals. You probably should bring facts to the table though, you might have to find out a bit about what this mayor have been doing. If he really is as xenophobic and corrupt as he appears to be." Cessie argues. "That way you can paint a contrast between you. Better be open about your past too so you use up all the ammunition that they could use against you. 'I have changed for the better, and so can this city' could be your slogan?" The sorceress suggests with a amused smile.

Weekend Morning

"I'll be sure to think on it and run a few ideas past you, Deputy-Mayor-In-The-Making." Jezebel half-jokes with a smile before shaking her head at herself. "But before we get too caught up in that, I think there's something important to discuss between us." She says carefully, chewing her tongue for a moment as she considers her words. "I regret putting you in what is most likely a rather frustrating position, Cessie, but I don't regret the act." She says after a moment.

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"I think I'll drink regular tea," Wenomir says, awkwardly. "I ensure my strength the old-fashioned way. Which one would that be?"

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"And your virility? How else does one ensure that?" The nymph teases... Yet she looks genuinely thoughtful for a moment before shrugging and turning to sift through the cabinet. Her braid swings here and there as she turns her head inquisitively. "I don't think I have 'regular' tea, darling. I'm not familiar with the leaf. Though I do have something delightful I picked up in the marketplace the other day, it's called 'Oolong', and it does nothing but taste good as very far as I know."

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"It's always taken care of itself, for the most part," Wenomir says, awkwardly. That's not a subject he expected to be discussing. "I suppose I'll just have that, then."

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Zillia pushes her lips together in a smug smile and squints at the warrior. "Oh, you're one of those. How crude. You shouldn't tell a lady things like that, don't you know?" The nymph turns on her bare heel with a squeak and goes to heat the water for his tea.

"When you aren't telling old ladies about how well you take care of yourself, how is it you spend your time, sweet Wenomir?"

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Wenomir stammers briefly. She's the one who brought up- he gets a grip on himself.

"Well, I'm a busy man. Co-leading Vigil with Cessie. Training martial arts and teaching them to people. Fighting troublemakers."

[Murkus]

[Sunny Afternoon]

"Ooh! So you already work close to my granddaughter. Lovely," Zillia says, with a little more relish than was really necessary. She elects to pursue that line of thinking later. "And you fight troublemakers. Now that is a curious thing. You know, some would have called me a troublemaker in my day. Some even still might," Zillia titters. "Would you like to fight me?"

[Morty]

[Sunny Afternoon]

Wenomir decides to take refuge in brutal honesty with a side of sarcasm.

"That depends," he says in a serious tone. "Do you set people's houses on fire, use sorcery to summon demons or plan to conquer the world? Those are the troublemakers I usually tangle with."

[Shadowcaller]

Weekend Morning

Cessie was just about that deputy-mayor remark when Jezebel brings up the 'kiss'. So they were finally going to discuss the elephant in the room. Though to be honest, she wasn't entirely sure how to reply to that. It didn't quite sound right to her.

"Jezebel, please. Do you know how long I've been trying to consider a reply to that? You can't just kiss people that way on a whim, why did you even do it? Trying to provoke some kind of reaction from me? Since I guess that succeeded." She frowns.

[UncleWolf]

Weekend Morning

"I did it because I was being selfish rather than wishing to provoke anything from you." Jezebel says plainly, stamping down on the annoyance she felt from the accusation. It was a perfectly reasonable accusation to make after all. After a sigh she leans her head back and puts her arm over her eyes as she continues speaking. "I did it, because I had been feeling terrible until you arrived and cheered up my day and at the end I had the hottest eligible woman in town right there. Pun intended." She adds with a small smile. "In the end, my self-control slipped and I gave you a quick kiss born of adoration. I did not do it to provoke you even if it is what ended up happening."

[Shadowcaller]

Weekend Morning

Cessie sinks back in her chair. Letting out a small sigh. "Don't insult your own intelligence, Jezebel. Both you and I know that I'm prone to being provoked, even by mere fashion choices." Said fashion being a distinctive lack of fashion. Or clothes for that matter. "I'm the stick in the mud, the conservative one." Which is funny considering that she is seen as the complete opposite in Hestopia. "So I need to ask you this, Jezebel. How do you see me? Do you yourself think that there is a future for... well, I'm curious to hear your argument here. I want it all out in the open, your feelings for me, how you see me... everything."

[UncleWolf]

Weekend Morning

Jezebel is silent for a while, seeming to think over her response but not willing to remove her arm from her face. "I think...no, I know that any future you and I might have in a relationship beyond mere friendship is doomed to failure no matter how I wish it were otherwise." She says, deciding to just be blunt and to no longer bandy around the subject. "In you, I see...me. A better me. I see a person who was able to achieve everything I could have ever hoped and wished and dreamed for, not without hardship, but without being driven into damnation through sheer desperation and hopelessness due to the place of my birth. I see talent, natural beauty and grace and drive and poise and intelligence. The mage who sits across from me has never had to soil her morality in order to achieve...this." She says, giving a sweeping gesture with her other hand towards the room in general and the Keep beyond. "You've seen me at my lowest point, cowering naked in a cold shower, scared of my all too literal inner daemon, and yet still choose to befriend me. Me. A woman who at one point wasn't even able to whore herself out for a scrap of food in the Underhive." She says, bitterness all too clear in her voice.

"Perhaps it is just envy that drives me to you, but I don't think so. I'm a moth drawn to the flame of a woman who was able to achieve everything I could have ever wished for and still wish for. That pure light you cast off reveals to myself the mockery I am and I wouldn't have it any other way." She pauses there, holding up a hand, palm out to prevent Cessie from speaking. "And a mockery I am, don't argue that. Everything I have is because I made pacts with that Dark God years ago and even now I continue to use a glamour to change my appearance for I am far too vain to show myself otherwise." She explains before giving a long sigh.

"Cessie, you are perhaps the most opposite person there is to myself. Where I have spoiled my soul and dirtied my hands, you were capable of staying above it all, clean and pure. You are a warm light in an existence where the cold touch of the empty void whispers to my mind at all times of the day, asking me to welcome it back in. At the end of the it all, I enjoy being with you, yearn for you, because I can see that you are the me who was capable of being above everything I felt I had to do and it aches in both the best and worst ways to know that."