Welcome to Gaia! ::

This portion was done in aim :

"Yes. That is why they are secretly testing you. They want to see how you react to them, and how far they can push you." Ayisha said with a smile. "Go on now, kids wait for no one."

Ceres watched Ayisha and her family file into the kitchen. Afterwards she refocused her attention on Keeta. "Lets pick out a book Keeta." She said motioning to the book shelf."

"Have a good evening," she called after them as they departed for the kitchen.

"Does Natalia have any particular favorites?" Keeta asked Ceres as she scanned the titles "I'm sure Joel will sit and listen to just about anything. I don't think he's old enough to understand much speech yet, although I still read to him, because I know he enjoys listening to the sound of my voice."

"I generally tell her tails of the island as bed time stories. I try and keep out the nasty parts that kids her age don't know... But, at the same time I want her to know as much as possible." Ceres smiled as she ran her fingers along the spines of the books. "How about a random find?"

"Hmm....maybe you could tell Joel some of those stories sometime. I'm not so gifted at the storytelling thing, unless I have a book in front of me." She glanced back at the titles.

"A random find sounds good. Am I searching for the random book, or are you?" Keeta asked with a grin.

"It would be a pleasure to entertain Joel sometime with stories of the Isle." Ceres grinned as she pulled a book out from the shelf. "My fingers have already done the walking... And, Cinderella it is."

"Alrighty then," Keeta said, smiling as she headed down the hall. Do you know where Sky set them up for the night? Joel was in my room earlier, but I suppose he moved him to Natalia's room if they're reading a story together?"

"Logic tells me they are set up and waiting for us in your room." Ceres took Keeta by the hand in a friendly, sisterly manor. "I don't know why I brought the book with me... I know it by heart, or at the least the abridged version." She laughed.

"Ah, but the kids like to look at the pictures," she said, squeezing Ceres' hand. "I know the abridged version as well, but I don't think it's as fun. You can add more to the story when you can talk to the kids about the pictures. It's probably not a story I'll be telling much at home though. If Joel turns into a typical boy, he'll want to be as far away from Cinderella as he can manage from what I've seen," Keeta said, laughing like Ceres.

"Natalia can only see the pictures that fill her head. And, I hope she'll always need the story... Brave prince, beautiful princess." Ceres sighed happily. "Someone gallant that rides a white horse..." You could tell Ceres was slightly fantasizing herself about the situation.

"Ah, true. I forget sometimes...that she can't see like me. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive." She smiled at Ceres' expression, wishing wistfully that she had the same thing going for her. But nothing seemed to be going terribly right as of late.

"Don't worry yourself sick over it Keeta. We all slip up from time to time... And, sometimes Natalia even amazes us with a brief moment of site." Ceres grinned, and gave her a quick hug.

"Thought you'd never get here." Sky laughed from the corner of the room. He had both children on his lap, and was rocking them to keep them occupied.

Keeta hugged her back and stepped into the room, glancing at the children. Joel had a frown on his face despite being rocked, and Keeta thought that perhaps he even would have had his arms folded in protest had he been old enough and coordinated enough to mimic the gesture. Her brow creased in confusion. Why was he looking upset? He had seemed to enjoy being with Sky earlier.

As soon as he spotted Keeta Joel began to fuss and wiggle, looking towards his mom in frustration with his current circumstances. He did NOT want to share a lap with this other small person. And his mom had been gone all day, and he was tired...as Keeta made her way over to him, Joel began to cry. It had been a long day.

"Here Sky, let me take him," Keeta said, lifting the boy from his lap, with an apologetic smile, and then attempting to soothe him, walking around the room and talking to him quietly.

"All yours." Sky said as he scooted Natalia from his lap, and then stood up. "I'll leave you ladies to the details." Before he left the room he made it a point to caress Ceres' cheek. He however didn't do anything past that as he didn't want to embarrass her. With the soft sigh of Ceres he left the room.

"Right then." Ceres said snapping back to the moment. She scooped up Natalia. "Onto the bed time story about a prince and princess."

"Those are the best ones mommy!" Natalia clapped and giggled. She couldn't help but to wiggle in her mothers arms. She was very excited about this.

Keeta smiled as she watched them interact, continuing to calm Joel. He was growing quieter under her touch, but was still upset. She kicked herself for having left him so long and continued to pace the room as she looked toward the mother-daughter pair about to read the story.

"Joel, listen, she's going to read a story." She wasn't sure how much the boy understood, he wasn't even crawling yet, after all, but she thought she'd try.

Ceres put her hand on the book but didn't open it. She closed her eyes, and focused. After a minute or so the books images appeared on the wall. "If you wouldn't mind Keeta... Could you please do the reading." She said with a gentle smile.

Natalia curled into her mothers lap. She was already half asleep from the excitement of the day. This, however, was worth staying up for. Story time was always one of the best parts of the day. "Keeta read story. Please."