Ben had pushed Thali and the twins out of the house, literally. "Just go somewhere!" He had said. "It's a nice day, take them to the park. And stay there for a few hours, until I get this done." The man was supposed to be giving the enterance hall a new coat of paint, and he couldn't do it with two toddlers threatening to tip the paint bucket over. He'd end up painting them instead of the wall.
So Thali did the most practical thing. She headed for the park, in Barton. She took hold of both girls' hands (she wasn't crazy enough to carry two active toddlers), and walked. It wasn't very far, only about two blocks away.
When they got there, something had captured Samantha's attention, though Thali didn't notice. The elf sat on her favorite bench. "Go play, you two." She gestured to the slides and sandbox. Neither of which looked very interesting to Sammi--she'd done all this before. Reiya, on the other hand, sat in the sandbox and started to build something--Thali didn't know what it was, it didn't have any especial shape.
There was another toddler at the sandbox. The sun held no comparison to her golden hair, which amplified the rich color of her golden tan skin. Her cold, steel grey eyes looked up from the hole she was digging as another little one approached. "H-hi..." she said slowly, waving.
A few yards a way, a familiar dark haired fae sat on a bench, holding a small deer boy in his lap. He looked positively THRILLED; but the children did need to get out and play with other children, so...
"Hi!" Reiya said, returning the wave and toddling over to the other girl. "Wat oor name?" She asked. She looked at the hole Aife had been digging. "Ooo dig good." She complimented, before sitting down next to her.
Sammi was toddling over to the dark haired fae. She studied him for a moment, her bright eyes unblinking. Then she gave him a sunny smile. "Hi Kitty!" She said. "I Sammi."
Luckily, Thali hadn't noticed Matth, or she would have given him a piece of her mind.. Or so she had said. In reality, she was still cautious around him.
Aife offered a small, shy smile. "I Aife..." she said softly, smiling. "Who oo?" She then continued digging, offering another little smile. "'Ank oo. Oo ud ilder." she said, nodding.
Kole scrambled up into Matthias' arms as soon as he saw potential danger comming, hiding his face and whimpering. Please, don't hurt him!
Matthias patted the infant's back, trying to calm him. He looked down at the little halfling, chuckling in amusement. "Hello there, Sammi." he greeted, his tone polite and cordial. "My name is Matthias...not Kitty."
"I Weiya." Reiya said with a smile. "Welcame." She said, with a nod. She blinked, and looked at her castle. She shook her head. "Nuh good." She said. "I dig too?" She asked.
Samantha gave Kole a confused look, before giving that bright smile again. "Nice meet ooo." She said, ignoring the fact that the boy had his back turned. That didn't mean she didn't have to be polite, right? She looked up at Matthias. "Maff-e-ias?" She tried, frowning. "Maff Kitty." She decided, with another one of her trademark smiles. "Ooo Maff Kitty. Hi Kitty~"
Eventually, Thali noticed who Reiya was playing with. Aife. That meant Matth was here. And sure enough. There he was, and Sammi was with him! The elf sighed, and stood up. She meaningfully walked over to them. "Hello, Matthias." She greeted him, politely--though not without a touch of coolness. She hadn't quite forgiven him for hurting Risa the way he had.
Aife smiled lightly. "Soor." she said, holding out her shovel to the other girl. "Oo can 'ig. I 'ild." After all, Reiya was probably a good girl. And good girl's deserved to dig more than bad ones did.
Matthias chuckled, shaking his head. "Hello, Sammi...." He reiterated, now highly amused by the toddler. He looked up at Thali, offering a polite smile. "Hello, Thali." he greeted, bowing his head once. "This little one is yours, I am to presume?" he asked, an amused smirk playing across his face.
Reiya took the shovel, and smiled. "Fank ooo." She said, "We take tuwns?" She asked. "I dig--den Ooo dig, den.. Den my tuwn 'gain!" She said, after thinking it out. She was used to taking turns with Sammi.
Sammi smiled, ignoring the exchange between her Kitty and Mommy. "Kitty, hug?" She asked, looking up at him. "Hug, Kitty? Pwease?" She put on her best puppy-eyed look.
"Yeah, that's Samantha." Thali said, with a nod. A slightly proud expression made the coolness disappear. "Reiya's playing with Aife over there." She gestured to the sandbox. She paused, and her expression went serious. "You seeing Risa again?" She asked, trying to sound casual.
Aife shook head. "Oo can 'ig." she said, smiling lightly. "Igging for ud irls." She began making a mound with her hands, figuring that was the end of that conversation. Who could argue with her logic?
Matthias looked at Sammi a moment before leaning over to give her a small hug, much to Koloro's chagrin. The little deer bleated, scrambling away and behind his father, clinging to his back.
Matthias nodded. "I am." he said, nodding. "Had pizza over at her house just the other night. Why?" He was sincerely casual and relaxed, as if he'd done absolutely nothing wrong at all.
Reiya blinked at her friend. "Ooo a good giwl." She said, with a slight frown. "Ooo dig fiwst, kay?" She offered the shovel. "I 'uild." She started to, to demonstrate. "We make pwetty."
Sammi returned the hug as well as she could. "Luv ooo, Kitty." She said, before blinking. Where had the boy gone? She tried mimicing the bleat, before she giggled. "Baa?" She said.
How could he...? Argh. Men. Thali just didn't see how Matthias could sit there like nothing had happened. "She almost died because of you." She said, with a frown. "Don't let it happen again."
Aife shook her head. No....if she was a good girl, her ori and ita wouldn't have send her away. "Oo ig. I ild." she insisted, working on her mound. "What etty?"
Matthias chuckled, smiling. They were so cute at this age, and a lot easier to handle. He looked up to Thali, frowning slightly. "Do not tell me what to do, young one." he warned, his tone suddenly ice cold. "I do not take orders from children."
Reiya shook her head as well. "Boff uild." She said with a nod. Then they could both dig later, too. That'd be good. "Pwetty..." Reiya tried to find words for it. "Ooo. Ooo pwetty." She said, with a smile.
Sammi smiled, before looking at her mother and frowning. "Ooo bad Mommy, nice to Kitty!" Thali frowned, and gave a glare identical to her daughter's.
"I may be younger than you are Matthias, but I am no child." She said icily. "You hurt my friend. She almost died. I am not about to forgive you as easily as she did."
Aife smile slightly. "Fanks." she murmured, chuckling. "You etty too." she said, nodding. "Like eyes." Why couldn't she have pretty eyes like that? It wasn't fair...
"If I had known that would be the result, I would not have chosen the course of action that I had." the dark hair fae responded, his tone low and controlled. "And I never asked for your forgiveness, nor do I care to seek it."
Reiya smiled. "Fank ooo." She said happily. "Like oor eyes too. Are pwetty." They were pretty and silver--she liked them.
Thali sighed, and looked from Matth, to her daughter, and back to Matth. "Listen..." She started, but seemed to consider what she was about to say. "I apologize, Matthias. I was angry, and I didn't mean what I said. I hope we can still be friends." The truth was, Thali loved fae. She couldn't--it was an inability to remain angry with one. "As long as Risa's happy, I'm happy for you too." She gave the fae a small smile, trying to restore what she'd just screwed up.
Aife smiled, patting a flat surface onto her mound. "Fanks!" she said, grinning and showing off newly-grown teeth.
Matthias wasn't impressed. "I'll consider it." he said, being honest with the woman. He wasn't one to forgive and forget that easily. He sighed, showing a bit of fang as he did so. A subtle warning, if you will. "I will do my best to keep Risa happy, then." he said after a moment.
Reiya smiled, and nodded. "I uild cassle." She told her new friend.The mound she was making resembled a mountain much more than any castle, but... "Wat ooo uild?" She asked, with genuine curiousity.
Thali, though she tried to hide it, visibly flinched. "Alright." She said, recovering. "I take my leave then." She turned, gave him a frightened look from over her shoulder, and walked back over to her bench. Then she suddenly became quite interested in the book she was supposed to be reading.
Sammi frowned. "Ooo bad Kitty, scawe my Mommy." She said, shaking one of her chubby fingers at him. "Dat not nice." She paused, and frowned at him. "No do it, Kitty. Is bad. Bad bad bad. I Buwn ooo if ooo huwt my Mommy."
"I ake ol home." Aife said, a sad smile coming across her face at the thought of it. Her old home, where she used to live, in the nice white building..... She sighed, poking a window in with her finger.
Matthias smiled until the toddler started lecturing him. "I did nothing wrong, little one." he said, his tone calm. "If she is scared, it is not of my intentional doing." He paused, then gave an amused chuckle. "Burn me?" he asked, grinning.
"Oooh." Reiya said, noticing the look on Aife's face. "Buh new ome good, wight?" She asked. "Ooor Daddy an Mommy good wight?" Reiya didn't know what she would do to help her friend if she said no.
"Ooo scawe my Mommy.." Sammi didn't look like she quite believed him. "I buwn ooo, if ooo bad." She said, before showing him a handful of fire. "I buwn ooo." She repeated. "I 'ake 'ire, buwn my Daddy. Puniss him. I puniss ooo, if ooo bad."
Aife nodded. "New ouse nice. Orita nice, too....but not ome. Not Ori o Ita. Diffwent." she said, trying to convey it how she felt to the best her ability.
Matthias frowned. "If you burn me, I won't be very happy." he said, his tone mild. He had to remind himself that this was just a child, not a threat. But still... "You shouldn't burn others. It is no nicer than me scaring your mother...even if that was unintentional."
Reiya gave Aife a confused look. "Owita?" She repeated, blinking. "Owi? Ita?" This wasn't English that she knew of--and even if she was only a toddler, she knew quite a bit. Her parents were to blame.
Sammi frowned slightly, before the fire in her palm vanished, and she wrapped her arms around Matthias' leg. "No, dun be sad, Kitty!" She said, hugging him. "Be 'appy, kay Kitty? Be 'appy. I no buwn ooo if ooo good! Den we play!" She was ignoring his lecture, like burning anyone was mean. And she only burned the people who deserved it. The bad ones.
Aife wasn't sure how to explain, so she just pointed to Matthias. "Orita." she stated, then pointed to Thali. "Oo ori."
Matthias chuckled, patting the child on the head. "I am not sad, little one. You needn't worry about me." He smiled; him, good? As if. But, he could let the little one believe he was little for now. "Play?" He arched an eyebrow. He certainly did NOT play. It was immature and childish and...well, frankly, he had no idea how.
Reiya blinked. "Ori, Mommy?" She asked. Well, Aife had pointed to her Mommy, so maybe that was what she meant. And Aife's Daddy was an Orita? Confusing!
Sammi hugged the fae again. "We play, Kitty?" She asked, her best cute face on. "We play tag." She patted the fae on the arm, before running--well, running in a toddler sense. "Cach me!" She said, looking at him expectantly.
Aife nodded once, offering a small smile. "Yes." she said softly, patting her sand mound a bit more. She had no idea that she was confusing her new friend; none at all.
Matthias sighed, then nodded, "Yes, if that is what you wish." he said, smiling slightly. He watched her run a moment before catching on. A grin spread across his face as he slipped into a predatorial crouch before bounding off after the child. To those observing, it looked like someone was hunting.
Reiya smiled, and looked at her castle for a momet. It needed something. Ah! A flag. She picked up a twig with a leaf on it, and stuck it in the top. "Pwetty." She said.
Sammi giggled in delight, she had someone to play with. She ran on ahead, giggling. Occassionally, she'd turn back to smile at her Kitty.
Thali set down the book, watching in horror. Matthias was angry, and he was taking his anger out on her baby! But wait.. He seemed to be gentle with his own children, why would he attack hers? Maybe they were doing something else? Yes.. Maybe they were playing.
Aife grinned. "Etty!" she agreed, giggling and clapping her hands together. "Airy etty!"
Matthias suddenly lunged, flying at Sammi. He scooped the little one up, shielding her with his arms as he did a forward roll, landing in a sitting position. "Caught you." he said, smiling lightly at the little girl he held in his arms.
Reiya smiled at the master piece she'd made, rather proudly, it was true. "Oors pwetty too." She said, smiling at her friend. "Nice 'Ouse."
Sammi giggled, and hugged Matth. "I it!" She told him. "You gotta wun!" She was having fun, playing the game her older brothers had taught her a few days ago.
Thali's eyes widened, and she left the bench. She went over to where Matthias and Sammi were, quite pale. She was unsure of what she'd find.
Aife smiled, shaking her head. "Ook nuffin ike ome." she said, her tone a bit said. "S juss mound wiff hole."
Matthias smiled, sitting her on the ground before taking off, doing a slow jog so that the little one had a standing chance of catching him. He was completely unaware of the fright he'd caused Thali, and only noticed her as he started to run. He said nothing, only flashing her a smile.
Reiya put her arms around her friend, and hugged her. "No be sad, Aife." She said. "It okay. We fwiends." She hugged her again. "Be 'appy."
Sammi went after Matth, giggling. "Kitty, Kitty!" She chanted, chasing after him.
Thali almost fell over in relief. So they were playing. She was okay with that.
Aife blinked as she was hugged, pausing before hugging back. "I sorries. No mean be ad." she said, thinking that this "sad" thing must be a bad thing. "I orries. I be ud."
Matthias chuckled, amused with the little one. He slowed down a bit; it was much more fun chasing her than it was being chased.
Reiya frowned. "Ooo no bad." She said, hugging her friend again. "Ooo good. Ooo my fwiend. Kay? No sad. Be 'appy."
Sammi caught up to him, giggling. She took hold of his leg. "Got ooo, Kitty!" She said, giving him a hug.
Aife hugged her back. "Kay..." she said, nodding. She forced a smile onto her face, looking back at the other toddler. "Etter?" she asked.
Matthias smiled, patting the girl on the head. "Yes, you got me." he said, chuckling. Little ones were rather entertaining, no?
Reiya nodded and smiled. "Better." She said, letting go of her friend. "Aife, we Bess fwiends, kay?" She said.
Sammi looked up at Matth for a moment. "Kitty no cach me!" She said, before taking off. She giggled, Kitty wouldn't be able to get her this time.
Aife smiled, nodding. "Kay." she said, her tone happy. She didn't know what best friends were, but they were a good thing, right?
Matthias grinned, giving the child a ten second headstart before he dashed after her, just like before. Not gonna catch her, eh? He'd see about that.
Reiya smiled, glad her friend was cheering up. She didn't like it when people were sad. Mad maybe, mad people were fun. But sad? No.
Sammi giggled, and kept running. "No cach me, Kitty!" She said, looking back at him.
Aife smiled. "Oo ig now?" she asked, offering her shovel up. "I ild ome etter. Den ig."
Matthias grinned; the child was in his sights! He tensed his leg muscles, took two more running steps, then leaped at the little one, intent on doing a repeat of the first time.
Reiya took the shovel, and smiled. "Fank ooo." She said, before starting a new hole. She would dig all the way to China! Well, at least to the bottom of the sandbox.
Sammi was caught. She giggled, and hugged the fae. It seemed she didn't mind getting caught, actually she prefered it to running. "Kitty got me!" She said, smiling up at him. "Luv ooo, Kitty."
Aife smiled, working on her mound as she tried to get it more rectangular and semi-home-looking-ish. She didn't say anything because, to be honest, she didn't know how to respond to a thank you quite yet.
Matthias smiled, patting the little girl on the back. Why did everyone have to use that L word with him? He patted her on the head before standing back up, stretching a bit. His elbows and shoulders then decided to pop, a horrendous cracking sound issuing forth.
Reiya had made a decent sized hole, before she looked to her friend. "Aife, ooo ake pwetty 'ouse." She said, with a smile.
Sammi tilted her head. "Kitty make Boom." She said, blinking. She never knew anyone could make such a sound. She smiled at him, and raised her arms. "Up, Kitty?"
Aife smiled, feeling a small surge of pride. "Fanks." she said, giggling and clapping her hands together. Unfortunately, her elbow hit the mound, sending it into a crumpled, unshaped mess.
Matthias blinked; what was she talking about? This train of thought was interrupted by her next question. He nodded, lifting the little girl up. "Better?" he asked, his tone amused.
Reiya frowned as she saw the house fall. "I help fix." She said, setting the shovel down, and moving to Aife's other side so she could assist. "I help." She repeated.
Sammi wrapped her chubby arms around Matthias' neck. "'Etter." She said, leaning against him. Someone was tired, or at least pretending to be.
Aife shook her head. "Dun have to." she said, forcing a smile on her face. "Ild something else." she said, her tone a bit too cheerful.
Matthias patted her back; sleepy toddler should be pretty easy to manage, no? He went back to the bench, sitting down next to a sleeping Koloro.
Reiya blinked at her friend, before hugging her. "It kay." She said. "We uild it gain, kay? No be sad."
Sammi snuggled into Matthias' chest--but if the fae had looked down, he would have noticed the tiny smirk on the freckled toddler's face. She wasn't sleepy at all. Just playing another game.
Aife smiled. "I no ad. Appy." she said, nodding. "Ild somefing else; no wan ild ome no mores."
Matthias didn't seem to notice at all. He gave the little one a small hug; the sooner she fell asleep, the sooner he could hand her back over to her mother, hassle-free.
Reiya smiled, glad her friend wasn't upset again. "We uild cassle?" She asked. "Big big cassle!" She added. "More big dan sky." Biggest thing she could think of, anyway.
That did it. Sammi wrapped her arms around Matthias as well as she could, and hugged him. Her bright eyes were wide open, and she gave a giggle. "I twick ooo, Kitty!" She said, sounding almost smug. "I twick my Kitty!"
Aife nodded. "Ild assle." she said, grinning. She didn't know what this castle thing was, or what one looked like, but that wouldn't stop her from trying to build one.
Matthias chuckled. "Yes, yes, you tricked me." he said, trying not to laugh. "Congratulations, little one."
Reiya smiled, and started to make a pile of sand. It was triangle in shape, and really did resemble more of a mountain than a castle. She patted it lightly with her hands to make it smooth.
Sammi was so pleased with herself, that her smile could have outshone the sun. "I win Kitty." She said, before she hugged him. "Ooo win nex 'ime kay? No be sad, Kitty." She had to make sure her Kitty wasn't sad about losing. She knew if she'd lost, she would have been sad. "Play gain, Kitty? Ooo no twick me."
Aife smiled, chubby hands moving to help her friend built onto their little mound of sand, working to smooth it out. Her face showed her utter concentration on the task; she looked far too serious for a toddler.
Matthias chuckled. "I am not sad, little one." he said, patting the child. "No...I'd rather not try and trick you." he said, amused.
Reiya kept building on to the castle, before putting a leaf at the top. "Fwag." She said, smiling over at Aife. "Pwetty cassle."
Sammi took that as Kitty meaning that he didn't think he was good enough to beat her. She giggled, and hugged him. "No worry, Kitty. I no win all 'ime. Ooo win 'ome. Kay? Pway? Ooo twick me, ooo win." She gave him a bright smile. "I 'ug ooo if ooo win."
Aife smile. "Etty." she agreed, grinning ear to ear.
Matthias patted the little one, smiling. "I don't want to trick you, though." he said, his tone light. After all, she was much too young and much too nice for his brand of pranks.
Reiya smiled at her friend, before looking to the rest of the playground. "Wan go on swide?" She asked.
Sammi frowned slightly. Maybe Kitty didn't know how to trick people? "I 'each, Kitty." She said. "Den Kitty 'eawn how twick, Kay?" She paused, as if she was waiting for an answer, then, "Dis how ooo twick." She took a handful of hair, and set it on fire. The hair wasn't being burnt at all.
Aife blinked, tilting her head to the side. "What swide?" she askked, having no idea what the other child was speaking of.
Matthias chuckled. "I know how to trick, Sammi, I just-" He cut off sharply as his hair was set on fire. Though, he quickly calmed back down when he realized it wasn't actually burning.....wierd.
Reiya pointed to the brightly colored slide. "Swide." She said, with a nod. "Go whee! on swide."
Sammi giggled at Matth, before making the fire disappear. "Only buwn wen I wan, Kitty." She told him sounding almost smug. "No wan buwn Kitty, so I no buwn. Is twick. Kitty tuwn! Can Kitty twick me?"
Aife looked completely and utterly confused. "Go.....whee?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Reiya wasn't making any sense!
The fae nodded, listening. Hm....a trick that wasn't too mean to pull on a toddler. Unfortunately....he wasn't thinking of any.
Reiya sighed, and stood up clumsily. " 'And up!" She told her friend, and without waiting for a reply, she took the golden haired toddler's hand. "We go on swide. Ooo see."
Sammi frowned slightly at the fae, before deciding that tricking might be too hard of a game for Kitty. "Kitty? Ooo an Mommy fwiends?" She asked.
Aife blinked, standing up slowly. "Ah...okay." she said, nodding and smiling lightly. Well, no better way to find out than through experience!
Matthias shrugged. "We know each other..." he said. Friends, though? That wasn't a term he threw around lightly. That, and he barely knew the woman.
Reiya smiled, and led her friend up the steps to the slide. "We go down." She said, pointing to the ground. "On swide. Go whee! Den we do 'gain."
Samantha frowned for a moment, she didn't seem to understand you that you could know someone and not be their friend. "Why Kitty? Why nuh Mommy fwiend? Mommy nice. Mommy wike ooo lots. Ooo know why, Kitty?" The toddler leaned in to whisper. "Mommy wike fae. Daddy say fae need 'aircut. Buh Mommy wike. She no wike dem if dey eat her, den dey bad. Buh ooo good, Kitty."
Aife looked a little scared. They were so high up! What if they fell? What if she when flying? She bit her lip lightly, clinging to the railing of the slide.
Matthias tried not to laugh. Him, good? Did someone rewrite the definition of the word? "I just don't know her well enough, Sammi." he explained, trying to hide the smile on his face.
Reiya noticed her friend's look, and gave her a reassuring smile. "We 'old ands." She told Aife. "No be scawed, I here." She sat down on the slide.
"Oh.." Sammi tried to comprehend this. "Why?" She asked. "Get know her better. She nice. Wan know secwet, Kitty?" She leaned in to whisper again. "Mommy Pwincess. Dun tell. Bad guy come and make Mommy sad. Say Mommy baby brudder gone." By bad guy, she meant a certain dark elf.
Aife nodded, giving the other girl's hand a gentle squeeze before sitting down. "Go own now?" she asked, trying to keep her tone brave.
Matthias just nodded. "Ah, I see..." He said, his tone solemn. Thali, a princess? He still highly doubted that. And if her baby brother was REALLY gone, she wouldn't be this calm. Ah, children and the stories they come up with...
Reiya nodded, and still keeping hold of the other girl's hand, went down the slide. "Whee!"
Sammi nodded at her wise Kitty friend. "Mommy cry at nigh. Mommy cry lots an lots, Kitty. I no know how 'ake her stop. Mommy yell at Wisa--say truse her 'dea, and it cuz Davi tooked." She confessed, looking sad. "Mommy say it cuz fae tooked Davi--dey tooked him!" The freckled toddler's brown eyes were wide with concern.
"Mommy say dey tooked him cuz Avewi der Daddy. Avewi no bad guy, Kitty. Mommy say is, but he nice. Why tooked Davi, Kitty? Why 'ake Mommy cry? Ooo fae. Why 'ake Mommy cry? Why huwt Davi? Give him 'ack, Kitty. Davi pwince. He powtant, Kitty. Mommy powtant too--but she wunned 'way."
Matthias took a deep breath, listening to the little one. "I did not take "Davi", therefor I do not have him." he explained, looking at the child. Hm...she seemed awfully serious. He'd ask Thali....well, if he dubbed it important enough, that is. He was still debating.
Aife went down at the same time, a surprised intake of air coming from her as the went down the slide. She wasn't sure if it was fun or not...it was different to say the least.
Sammi frowned slightly. "Ooo know were he is?" She asked, hopefully. "I 'ope we find him soon. No like when Mommy cry. Joss gived her 'ugs, but Mommy no stop. Mommy bwame Wisa. It Wisa fauwt."
Reiya landed on the ground, on her feet. She giggled, and looked to Aife. "Gain?" She asked.
Matthias shook his head. "No, I do not. I am sorry." he said quietly. "It is not Risa's fault." he said, his tone calm.
Aife thought a moment, then nodded. "'Kay...." she said slowly, still a bit wary.
Sammi frowned again. "Miss Davi, Kitty. Why fae tooked him? He nice. He little. Littler dan me, Kitty! Mommy call him Davi-an. But his name Davi." She nodded as wisely as a toddler could. "Wisa fauwt. Mommy say so. Mommy say twuse 'tween Lyn--wood an fae Wisa 'dea. Dan Davi get tooked. Mommy say Davi no get tooked if no twuse. Cuz elfies no ight back now--cuz twuse say no ight."
Reiya smiled and led Aife up the stairs that led to the slide.
Matthias just listened in awkward silence. "I do not know why they took him." he said, shrugging. "And it is not her fault. I'm sure that Davian will be returned unharmed." Okay, so the last part was said just for the child's benefit, but...
Aife climbed up with the other child. She didn't quite see the point of it, but she was trying to.
Sammi looked up at Matth, as if she didn't quite believe him. "Mommy gonna save Davi, Kitty. No worry." She patted him on the cheek. "Mommy no mad at Wisa no more--Mommy say it cuz Wisa was bery sad. Wisa all better now, Kitty."
Reiya smiled at her friend. "Ooo firrs, Aife." She offered.
Aife looked at the slide, nervous. "Kay..." She said before sliding down. It was almost peferct...until she hit the bottom. She lost her balance, finding herself pitched forward onto the unforgiving ground. She rolled over into a sitting position, her face a mask of shock as she saw blood starting to well from her freshly scraped knee.
Matthias smiled. "Well, that's good to here." he said, his tone light.
Uh oh. Reiya was quick to over a hand to help Aife up. "Ooo kay?" She asked, giving her friend a hug like her mother did everytime she or Sammi got hurt.
Sammi nodded at Matth. "Wisa all better--but Kitty? It Wisa fauwt. Cuz Mommy say--Mommy say Wisa 'dea twuse. Mommy say elfies and fae no get 'long. Why Kitty? We get 'long. I elf. We no 'ight."
Matth shrugged. "I do not know. I don't come from the same region as your Mother, so I wouldn't know of the racial tensions there."
Aife sat there in total shock. She hadn't gotten any owwies since arriving here, so it was a bit of a new sensation. And she decided...she didn't like it one bit. Her face screwed up, and then she began to cry.
Sammi hugged Matth as well as she could, and gave him a smile. Sure, she didn't understand half the things he'd just said--but they weren't figthing. "Luv ooo, Kitty. Ooo good fae." She paused when she heard Aife crying, her rounded but pointed ears twitched. "Kitty's baby crying." She informed him helpfully.
Reiya wrapped her arms around her friend, looking distraught. "No cry." She told Aife. "It 'kay. No cry--" She fell silent as her mother walked over.
"You okay, Aife?" Thali patted the little golden haired toddler on the head. "Oh... You're hurt." The elf fished in her purse for something, before pulling out a brightly colored bandaid. "Don't worry, Aife. This won't hurt." She reassured the toddler, putting it on the offending scape. "There, all better."
Aife was still crying when Thali came over, only looking up when something was stuck onto her leg. All better? No. It still hurt, and she wanted Orita!
Matthias put Sammi down, rushing over to scoop the little blonde up. "Thank you, Thali." he said, nodding his head once.
Thali nodded at Matth, and gave him a smile, though the smile had a plastic look to it. "Sure." She said. "No problem." She handed the fae a box of bandaids. "Though you probably have a better cure--" She shrugged.
Sammi toddled over, and grabbed hold of Matthias' leg. She clung on, as if he was planning on leaving her again. "Kitty baby 'kay?" She asked.
Matthias handed the box back. "You keep them; I have a box back at the house." he said, offering a small smile as he hugged Aife. "And yes, she's fine...." He shifted, curiousity nagging at the back of his mind. "So....um, how's your brother?" he asked, awkward.
Thali took it, though she didn't return the smile. "Davian?" She sighed, suddenly looking sad. "I don't know. He's been missing for weeks. Last I heard, the fae were keeping him healthy. I don't know how happy he could be with them--no offense Matth." She looked up at the dark haired fae. "I mean.. Davi's a baby. He should be with family. Not those he doesn't know..." She sighed. "I told you I was afraid of you--I thought you would hold the same grudge against us as the others do."
Matthias sighed. "I'm sure you'll get him back in one piece, happy and healthy." he said, if only to comfort her. He patted her shoulder, offering a small smile.
Thali forced a small smile. "I hope so." She paused, and looked up at the dark haired fae. "I'm sorry I was rude earlier.. I didn't mean what I said. It's just.. with Davian, and then Risa.. I've been rather.. well.. I'm sorry." The elf blushed, and was silent for a while. "Sammi seems to have attached herself to you." She said with a genuine smile.
"It is no problem..." Matthias said, nodding once. He then chuckled. "I noticed." he said, amused. The attachment was quite literal, and he looked down to the little one gripping his leg, smiling.
Thali nodded, and turned to look at Reiya. The toddler was giving concerned looks up at Aife. "You worried about Aife?" Thali asked, ruffling her toddler's hair. "She'll be alright."
Sammi smiled up at Matth, and lifted her arms for him to pick her up. "Kitty an Mommy fwiends now?" She asked.
Aife was down to a sniffle every now and then, though chewing on her orita's hair seemed to help her knee stop hurting so much.
Matthias bent down, lifting the little girl up. "Yes, we are." he said, chuckling. By "friends", he meant he knew her a tad bit better, and that she wasn't an enemy.
Whatever Matth's meaning, Sammi was happy with his reponse. She gave him a bright smile. "Good, good Kitty. Mommy good fwiend." She nodded as wisely as a toddler could.
Thali picked Reiya up, who promptly reached out her arm to touch Aife. "Aife better now?" She asked, with a tilt of her head. "Aife play now?"
Aife just nodded; she was fine. She yawned, resting her head against her orita. Alien baby was tired now.
Matthias sat Sammi back down. "I think it's time we headed home." he said, offering a small smile. "My two are in need of a nap." He motioned to Koloro, who was pretty much passed out on the bench.
