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 Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 4:15 pm
Rojiza, ever the friendly wee creature, wanders over toward Voltaire and Anjette. She peers up at them and cocks her head before scampering literally up Voltaire and onto his opposite shoulder. She giggles and peeks out from behind Voltaire's head at Anjette. She gently taps her on the shoulder before scampering down again, evidently expecting Anjette to give chase.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 4:53 pm
Voltaire peered down at Rojiza. Annjette also peered down at her blinking a bit. When Rojiza suddenly decided to clamper up the man and tap the black haired girl in his arms he took it good naturedly, laughing instead of yelping in surprise.
Annjette blinked in surprise and almost looked quite scandalized by the whole ordeal. "I think she wants you to play with her and her friend, Duckling." Voltaire explained.
The black haired girl arched a brow and shrugged in respose. Instead of putting her down, Voltaire just sat on the ground and placed Annjette on his lap and waited to see what the girl would do when not constrained by height or arms.
After a few moments of apparent inner struggle over the new change of height and having no new excuses she got up and began to toddle after Rojiza, almost falling a time or two. Voltaire just watched after her with a light smile letting her go.
"I'll be here when you get back." He murmured quietly and just waited patiently for food to be served, every now and again he'd glance at the Lorelei, it had crossed his mind to ask who she was and why she seemed so lost but he figured to let everything come at their own time.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 4:59 pm
Lorelei flushed and nearly ran away when the newcomer saw her. She'd become so much more skittish in the past few days.
Eventually, though, she took a deep breath and wandered on over to the other members of the caravan and their... children. Her steps were a tad wobbly, and she weaved back and forth noticeably, coming to a stop about three or four yards from Voltaire and the others, rubbing the smooth metal of the cymbals as if they were a form of worry-beads.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:11 pm
Rojiza claps her hands delightedly. She dances away from Anjette. After all, she's It.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:41 pm
Annjette chased after Rojiza, just barely missing the girl each time she reached out to catch onto her. After a moment the girl almost gave up and turned back but then she'd get a new burst of determination and chase after her even more.
Voltaire smiled at Lorelei with a friendly look, "Y'seem as lost as I feel, as well as tired. Come sit with me and rest, m'lady?" He asked her politely. If need be he'd share his bowl with the woman if she was hungry, of which he had no qualms with.
He glanced over at Lesh's wagon where Caroline and Leshya'e were and then looked back at Lorelei, "You live in the caravan too I take it?" it was a silly question but it was friendly ment and to see if she would talk with him or retreat having taken measure of her shy demeanor.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:48 pm
At first, she froze up at the term 'm'lady'. How could he know? How...? Then it occured to her that he possibly used it simply as a term of respect.
Warily, she approached within a few feet of him, and then sat down demurely, arranging her tattered and patched skirt around her.
"I... yes... though I was think of leaving," she confessed, voice barely loud enough to be heard. The red-head looked down at the small cymbals she now held in her lap.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:10 pm
Lesh finally served up the small meal and smiled at the other person who had joined them. Walking over to Alexander, she picked up Anezka and moved her to the ground so she could crawl around. "Does anyone else need anything?...Seasonings or the like?" She smiled and brushed her hair back out of her eyes.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:55 pm
Annjette witnessed food being served out midst chasing Rojiza. She stopped and turned and toddled back to Voltaire, but stopped midway.
...Who was that woman sitting so close to her papa? She was broiling over with jealousy that she didn't realized that she had considered him as her father, none the less she was here before that woman was! There was a firm gap between Voltaire and Lor, but the small fortunette didn't seem to realize it as she waddled over quickly and pointedly sat next to him slightly glowering at Lorelei for a moment.
Voltaire clicked his tongue a bit, "Why leave? They all seem quite friendly here." He accepted his and Annjette's portions. When Annjette returned he blinked a bit at her behavior and gently offered her bowl, which the girl took from him with a faint snappish yank. The man laughed a little in response, "I am Voltaire and this is Annjette." He nodded to the black haired girl as he introduced himself to Lorelei.
"My papa!" Annjette pronounced possessively as she ate.
Voltaire was about to eat but sat still, as if dumbstruck by that pronouncement. He hadn't come to realize that it wasn't he adopting her but her who had apparently adopted him just now.
...What would he do if her mother is still here and about. He had tried to ask her but she never answered, just looked sad.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:01 pm
"I'm a dead weight." She was still running her fingers in circles over the golden metal. "I'm not suited to a life such as this... I simply take up food and space. I intend to leave at the next town we come to. Surely I can find something I can do, there... I'm literate. I can read and write. I can spin a little, sew a little... I know many languages. I'm sure I'll be of some use to those who are not constantly on the road." And she did seem quite well educated.
She was about to introduce herself when Annjette's possessive statement startled her. She turned her attention to the small girl, smiling a little.
"I beg your pardon, little mistress Annjette," she murmured, making a little bow. "Do forgive me!" And with that, she scooted off a little, to give them some room. Still, she remained within speaking distance where she didn't have to raise her voice much.
"My name is Lorelei."
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:19 pm
After getting over the momentary shock he ate some of his food and chewed it in silence for a moment before speaking again, first to Lesh, "This is fine as is, I need nothing. Thank you for everything." He replied politely.
Annjette eyed Lor carefully for a moment before nodding faintly, satisfied, "Okay!" she said out loud before going about eating. Voltaire had apparently gotten her to eat on her own while they were on the road alone together.
Voltaire busily was getting his thoughts together after what Lorelei had said to him and he nodded slowly, "I see. I cannot spin nor sew, embroidery or otherwise. It is a skill that might later be useful to Annjette but I wouldn't be able to show her. Nor would you if you left." It was a clever way of getting her to stay, but it also held truth, "Why not stay and offer to help to teach or care for children?"
Annjette was soon done with her portion, having been very hungry and a fast eater besides.
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:24 pm
"I have no place to stay. I feel bad, spending a night in this person's wagon, a night in another's... originally, I was supposed to get a wagon, along with..." She stopped, then went on. "But she took the little money we had with her."
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Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 9:52 pm
Drawn by the prospect of food, Rojiza quits her horseplay and instead sits quietly in Caroline's lap, munching happily from her bowl. Caroline, too, eats in silence, meditating. As is her habit, Rojiza finishes her meal and curls up for a nap, twining her little furry hands in the decorations and folds of her mother's skirt. Caroline strokes her hair and hums. She watches the scene between Anjette and Voltaire with a smile. Such affirmation gave one a pleasant blooming feeling in the heart. She glances down at her sleeping child and her smile broadens. The mist of reminiscence fills her eyes.
"Rojiza, dove, time for bed." I looked over my shoulder to find her sitting on my bed, waiting expectantly with a storybook. "You want a story, then?" A nod. "Alright." I sat on my bed and took the book from her. I knew better than to put her in my lap--last time I'd tried that I'd ended up with scratches all down my arms. I started to read, and then...Rojiza crawled into my lap, all on her own. My heart bloomed.
At the end of the story, she was asleep. I closed the book, remembering curling up in Father's lap with Stephen when we were just small.
I stroked her hair for a long time, then. I really was her mama.
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Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:47 am
Emelyn came, Pierre attached to her hip with a hungry rumbling coming through his baby belly.
"I know, Pierre, my love, I smell it too," she laughed, as she came upon the circle of gypsies. "Hello ladies..." and then she realized that there was a newcomer at the fire- a man, of all things. And it wasn't Veshengo.
"Why hello... I'm sorry, I didn't see you sitting there. The smell of food must have obscured my vision," she laughed, putting the infant boy down on the ground next to the other gyspies. He knew well enough not to go near the fire.
"I'm Emelyn," she said, putting her palms up in a gypsy greeting. "And the little one is Pierre."
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Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:48 pm
He smiled at Lor after a moment, "If it is okay with Annjette you may stay with us," Voltaire glanced down at Annjette for a moment, and the girl stared back at him. There seemed to be a feel of communication between the pair before 'Jette turned toward Lor and nodded.
"Please stay." The girl looked pouty and big-eyed to boot.
Voltaire watched Caroline and Rojiza before his attention was dragged toward Emelyn and Pierre. My this was a busy day. He didn't skip a beat though, he offered up his own greeting with a friendly smile, "Good to meet you Friend Emelyn and little Pierre. I am Voltaire and the little duckling next to me is Annjette, and if it is alright with everyone here we may stay on at least for a while if not longer."
Though Voltaire got an inkling he'd be here longer than just a week or even a month. This seemed like a forever situation.
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Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:39 pm
Emelyn paled.
"Annjette? Not... the Fortunette?" Her eyes went wide... with shock at a memory she thought she'd forgotten.
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