Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Yes, to the clinic," Eirnae replies softly, encouraging Lenore to lean against her as they head for the bedroom doorway. Eirnae pauses once they reach the door frame, turning to smile at Eira and Ahlian. Both had stayed still, not sure of what to do next, an amazing feat for both.

"Well, ladies? Coming or not?" Eirnae asks teasingly, "We'll need both of you, of course. Your help is greatly appreci..." She doesn't get any further with her words, as once she said 'Coming' Eira squealed with glee and zipped through the air to hug Eirnae's head, covering up the moon elf's face with her fuzzy body while the Mii's tiny silver locket smacks Eirnae between the eyes.

Delightful.

Eirnae turns and doesn't even attempt to pry her Mii off of her face, as her arms are again rather busy already. She doesn't stumble, as she went through complete darkness training before receiving her dark vision, though having Eira glomped about her head is rather discerning. Luckily Eira gets the idea that hugging EIrnae's head isn't necessarily the best thing to do, especially right now, so she lets go and flits to sit on Eirnae's head instead.

Ahlian chuckles before grabbing the garment bag with Lenore's secondary outfit, closing the closet doors after. She follows the odd trio at a safe distance, just in case the group ahead of her makes any quick stops.

"Calavel is teleporting us there," Eirnae says with confidence as they start down the stairs, upping her concentration on steadying Lenore even more as they tackle one step at a time. Eirnae tries to explain to Lenore in elven, "No, Shina and Vinyn aren't going, Lovely. I asked Alimus to send them to see Cyoro when we knew this would happen. I don't want Shina to experience the pain of childbirth until the proper time. As for Nyoka...I do not know."

Eira nestles more comfortably into Eirnae's hair, not trying to be a distraction, just finding something to occupy her thoughts as she waits for a moment when she can be useful again. Ahlian remains behind the main trio, going down the stairs at a pace that matches theirs.

Alimus is done with the preparations, and not a moment too soon. He grabs the haversack and slides it over one arm, then the other, settling it against his back as the group reaches the bottom of the stairs. "Are we ready to go?" he asks plainly, eyeing the front door.

"Give them a moment, Alimus," Ahlian replies for Eirnae and Lenore, pausing three steps behind them.

"Don't worry, Ahlian," Eirnae counters, looking over to Alimus as she inquires, "Is everything ready? Has Calavel arrived yet?"

As if in response, the sounds of a key turning in the front door are evident. The door is swung open in the next moment, the dark elven priestess framed in the doorway by the sunny day outside. "I see that I'm not too late," Calavel quips with a small smirk, walking forward to shut the door behind her. "To the living room, if you please," she tosses over her shoulder as she heads that way without looking back.

Calavel directs everyone into a circle around her, counting heads as each person gets into position. "One, two, three, four, five, and six? Well, this shouldn't be too difficult," she murmurs, switching her dialect to Drow as her hands starts the seies of gestures required for a Group Teleport spell.

"Be calm, my love," Eirnae says soothingly in elven, smoothing back the stray hairs from Lenore's face with a gentle gloved hand, "It will be over before you know it, and once we get there I have some chocolate packed for you if you want it. Water, too."

Eira fidgets, watching Calavel's flowing motions with wary eyes. "Eira no like magic," the Mii grumbles, laying down on Eirnae's head to bury her face in the moon elf's dark blond hair.

Eira meeps, her eyes getting big as she realizes that she said what she did out loud. She hurriedly squeaks out a reply, "No! No, no, 'Nore! Eira likes 'Nore's magic, just not sure of THIS person's magic." Eira mrews in panic when Calavel takes the time to send a withering glance the Mii's way, this proving to not be the best laid out introduction between the two.

Calavel finishes her spell, both hands interlocking in front of her as she says the final words to unleash the magic she had been gathering into the area, "Ori'gato ol tlu xunor!" (Let it be done!) The room seems to flicker in and out of being for those involved in the spell, a side effect that Calavel allows to happen to mostly everyone. In Lenore's case, nothing happens save for she was in the living room of the cottage at one point, and the next she's in the waiting room of the clinic with Eirnae and all the rest by her.

"We have an appointment!" Eirnae declares as she starts to guide Lenore towards the double doors leading further into the clinic, "Get Dr. Kamiki for us, please!"

"Now love, try to remain calm. I know it must hurt... If only I could take your pain unto my self I would," Eirnae fusses worriedly in elven, gesturing to Alimus to take off the haversack and get out the items within for Lenore immediately. She offers Lenore her left gloved hand to grip, dabbing a handkerchief into a bowl of cool water with her right that Eira helpfully got off the top of Eirnae's head to pour from one of the chilled water bottles.

"I'm here, beloved, and I'm staying with you," she continues in elven as the others are shooed out of the room by the newly arrived head nurse, only Calavel and Eira remaining. Eira snuggles into Lenore's pillow by the half-elf's head, giving the nurse a determined glare, while Calavel merely has to cross her arms over her chest and shoot the nurse a 'You want to say that again?' look to convince the human nurse to leave her alone.

When the nurse starts to do her assessment of Lenore's current condition, Calavel 'hmphs' and waits till the nurse moves out of her way to do her own check. "You will be fine, abbil," (friend) she assures Lenore, hands gently probing the flesh of Lenore's belly. "The child is strong, and he should be born before the day is out. If you will allow, I shall pray for a quick delivery, then bless the boy upon his emergance."

Eirnae nods once, then looking down to her beloved even as she starts to dab Lenore's forehead and cheeks with the now wet handkerchief, "Please, love...it would mean much to me."

Alimus now re-enters the room after making sure that the irritated Ahlian was seated and calmed in the waiting room. 'No sense in her getting all of us thrown out of here by transforming and taking a chunk out of the nurse,' he mentally mutters as he closes the door after him. Quickly he turns and lifts an eyebrow when he notes that those within the room had gained another body. "Lucius, glad you could make it," Alimus rumbles, smiling as he moves to lean against the wall behind Eirnae, "Was afraid you wouldn't show."

Eirnae feels the ripple of Alimus's feelings regarding the fact that Lucius had almost beaten him to seeing the newborn cub, for if Ahlian had not calmed down he would still be outside the room keeping her at bay. Eirnae chuckles at this, knowing that Alimus can feel her amusement at his little gripe. Her attention then goes to Calavel as her mentor begins her prayer for mother and child, both hands held palm down just over Lenore's belly with the fingers spread out.

"All will be well, lovely," Eirnae murmurs in elven with Calavel's melodic prayer taking up the background, the words seeming to flow gracefully despite being in the harsh Drow tongue. "Here, have some water," Eirnae offers as she glances up to nod to Eira, who had flown over the crouched moon elf's head to grab a water bottle at the mentioning of 'water'. Eira pushes up the pop-top of the bottle and leans it down to brush the tip of it against Lenore's lips, "Drink, 'Nore?" she asks hopefully.

"Where is the doctor?!" Eirnae demands of the head nurse, a definate scowl on her usually calm face, "Why isn't she in here yet!?!"

"She is on her way," the nurse replies, not about to lose her ground in front of anyone, even if Eirnae obviously has a large sword strapped to her back.

"Well she had best arrive soon, as I don't want the baby born BEFORE she decides to arrive," Eirnae growls, Alimus adding his own low growl to her declaration for additional threat value. Out in the waiting room Ahlian also echoes it, though it only serves to make the attendant at her desk look up curiously.

Eira ignores everyone else in the room but Lenore, taking the handkerchief from atop Lenore's pillow where Eirnae abandoned it and flying over to resoak it before coming back to fuss over Lenore's sweaty face by dabbing at it fondly.

Calavel's prayers continue, her words escalating into a calming song. She seems unbothered by all of the commotion, her eyes closed as she keeps her attention on her words for her goddess.

((*hopes it's okay to post*))

A package is delivered by Sunny's rather grouchy brother. He drops it on the doorstep, rings the doorbell, and heads off without bothering to find out if anyone's home.

"Gonna kill Ali... not her freaking message boy..."

(( Aww! heart Thank you, Sundragyn! We'll rp finding the gift when they get home. *HUG* ))

Ahlian's smile broadens as she nods in reponse to the positive reaction, unsure of what else to do other than return Lenore's hand squeeze with one of her own. She steps forward to shoo Eira to the side with her teddy bear occupied hand, the Mii reluctantly giving up her embrace about Damien's bundled form. Ahlian then gently places the bear next to Damien so he can examine it with his hands if he wants to.

Damien makes a curious noise, one hand freeing itself from the confines of his blanket to curl its tiny fingers around one of the bear's ears. Promptly Damien gurgles another coo as he tries to drag the bear up closer to his mouth, with minimal success.

"He likes it, he really does," Ahlian murmurs happily, beaming down to Lenore as if she had just accomplished a miracle. Alimus cannot help but chuckle at Ahlian's delight at seeing Damien so taken with his bear, coming forward to place a hand on Ahlian's shoulder. "You thought he wouldn't?" he asks her teasingly, getting a sheepish grin from Ahlian in response.

"That was very sweet of you, Ahlian," Eirnae comments with a warm smile, her feeling Ahlian's joy and feeding it to Alimus, the three of them a conduit for each others' emotions. "I'm glad that someone got our Little Prince a teddy bear, as I was considering doing so myself."

Eirnae's words only cause Ahlian's inner pride to swell more, till she is close to floating up and hitting the ceiling. "Thank you, Eirnae," she replies with a true smile, her sheepishness forgotten.

"Most welcome, my bond mate," Eirnae says with an understanding wink, knowing that Ahlian had been nervous about the baby's arrival ever since first learning of it. "Now, I think that Lenore and Damien need some rest," Eirnae decides, getting up from her seat at the edge of the bed to gesture with both arms for everyone to leave. "You can come in and see them later, alright?" she offers when Ahlian gives her a sad look. "Let's go, my friends, out the door..." she continues as she ushers Alimus and Ahlian out of the room, turning and motioning for Lucius to join the others in the waiting room. "A bit of time with my lady, Lucius?" she asks politely, not ceasing her gesturing.

Eira had managed to squirrel her way underneath Lenore's pillow, her wings wrapped about herself carefully so they wouldn't get squished. With any luck she wouldn't be remembered or spotted, and then she could stay with Lenore and the baby once everyone else is gone.

"Of course, love," Eirnae replies after giving Lucius a repectful nod on his way out the door, closing it behind him with a soft 'click'.

She strides to the side of the bed, pausing after glancing about for a few moments. Quickly Eirnae bends to slide her right arm underneath Lenore's pillow, grabbing hold of Eira to pull the Mii out of her hiding place. "And just what are you doing under there?" Eirnae asks with a bemused smile, her right eyebrow raised.

Eira smiles at Eirnae, reaching up and grabbing hold of either side of Eirnae's available wrist as she admits, "Want stay?"

The shadowdancer proceeds to surprise Eira by smiling and carrying her over, still latched onto her wrist, to set the Mii down by Lenore's head. "I need someone to stay and watch over my two treasures, Eira, so it looks as though you have been elected." Eirnae winks down at Lenore before she sits down on the edge of the bed and gathers one of her love's hands into her own.

"I'll stay here with you," Eirnae whispers quietly, leaning over to kiss the sleeping Lenore's forehead and then Damien's as the baby joins his mother in her journey into slumber. She keeps true to her word, though it is much easier for the five foot, one inch moon elf to move and spoon up to her fiance' after removing her sheathed b*****d sword from across her back as well as her leather jacket. She keeps her boots on and the hidden dagger in one of them, however. Being an elf who has already gotten in her four hours of trance for the day, Eirnae doesn't need to sleep. She simply knows that this contact will comfort her beloved more than if she had chosen to sit by Lenore's side for the coming hours.

Eira goes to lay down atop of Damien's blanket, her wings settling over him protectively. In her way of thinking, if anyone wants to harm her mistress's 'Little Prince' they will have to get through her first. Of course she isn't as diligent in her guarding of the two mothers and their baby as she would like, as the Mii slowly drifts off to sleep.

July 14th, 2004

What a strange accumulation of emotions I have felt this morning. First, I was startled out of my trance by Damien's pitiful cries. I mean this, you have not heard the depths of sorrow till you have listened to my son on a roll. I have been present for an elven funeral dirge, and his vocals can be more depressing that even that haunting song. Now THAT is skill.

Anyway, the second feeling was, of course, frustration. I wanted to reach over and promptly hit Damien's snooze button. Yes, I have an alarm clock. Yes, I use it. No, my son doesn't have a snooze button. I checked. Gently, but I checked.

The third of the morning was the strangest of all. Jealousy of my son for getting to his mother's n****e before my fuzzy brain could even register the possibility of trying for one. I hope this isn't a pattern, because those are MINE tomorrow morning. At least I had an opportunity later today to make up for it.

The rest of my day? I watched over Damien, mostly encouraging him to play with Vinyn in a game of tic-tac-toe, while Lenore enlarged the cottage walls. Later she told me she was trying to expand the rooms to make the cottage, and I quote, more 'roomy'. I don't think she expected me to have to nab Vinyn and Damien to prevent them from being covered with rubble from the wall above them exploding. You can imagine the guilt on Lenore's face, and I don't think my flaring of temper helped much. We made up later on, with Ahlian and Alimus watching over the little ones.

I've made her promise to warn the family next time she starts a project like that. I'm sure that on a normal day she would have performed every task perfectly, but her magic has been rather out of whack as of late, not to mention her giving birth just yesterday. I do believe I am going to marry a work-a-holic, like myself. Thank Eilistraee that I still have my playful side, as does she, else I think we would work each other to death.

~ Eirnae Slytherin-Natenhar

(( hope its okay to post =))

Sati looked at the small piece of paper that her mother had given her, checking the address. Well this was definately it, she thought as she approached the house. Sayuri had asked her daughter to deliver a gift to Lenore and Eirnae as she found it difficult to do so herself whilst looking after Rhiannon. Sati knocked on the front door, and when no answer was forthcoming tucked the gift, and attached card carefully on the front step.

July 16, 2004

(( Indeed. We both apologize for the lateness, but you have to admit it is much easier this way to respond. *Chuckles* Youko managed to slip in a new gifting post, and my heavens it is a doozy! *Stares* Wow... It's the incantations that really get me. Those are beautifully written! ))

Well, I offered to start tutoring Lenore in the ways of physical defense today. I'm hoping it will help to make her both more aware of her surroundings as well as ease my worry over her should something happen and I am not at home to protect my family. Yes, her magic is formidable, when it works, but I have been through situations when magic was canceled out entirely.

Why the sudden offer to teach her? Oh, Lenore falling over onto her face after tripping on a pile of gifts left at our doorstep I think is a good enough reason. I was in the kitchen getting a snack ready for the children when I heard the shriek. I couldn't even think about getting there in time to watch her fall, much less catch her. Thank the Lady for Alimus, who got there before me to check on Lenore's state of health and then help her up. I believe that Lucius would have been on the scene if he were home, but he was back at Lenore's shop for the afternoon. I'm just glad that she is alright, if a bit sore. I can tell that she is feeling very judgemental over her lack of balance if not depth perception over that incident, and I've tried to bring it up. Ever been shot down mid-sentence? Well, now I have. She did it politely of course, but I was halted just the same.

The gifts are not to blame, of course. It likely would have happened eventually anyway, I'm sorry to say. There was a lovely assortment, all notable in their own way. A sweet little green cat plushie from Lady Sundragyn, a dragonic plushie from Drac that reminds me of a green dragon I met once, and a cute bear with balloons from Sayuri. All are now in our bedroom for easy access for Damien at bedtime. Our bed is now mostly full of plushies and dolls... How we get to sleep with that much between us, I'm not sure. Add Alimus curled up by my feet, Sitha nuzzled up in there somewhere, and Eira stubbornly nestled right next to Damien and you don't have much bed left at all.

Two particular gifts stood out for me, as much as I try not to play favorites with anything. One is the simple yet elegant cloak pin left for us by a elven woman I met only recently, Akina Tokuwa. Upon seeing it my heart immediately felt a pang for home. My grandmother had such a pin for her cloak, one that was charmed to keep the wearer warm and comfortable in all kinds of weather. Upon picking up this offering of friendship I felt that same familiar tingle of magic, a sense one gets after dealing with magic for so as many years as I have. I couldn't help but smile as I recalled what memories I have of my grandmother, glad for this reminder of her as well as the kind sentiment of the gift. The other was the thick book full of scrolls and incantations I found later today. I don't know who sent the gift, though I have my suspicions. I knew after touching each charm within the book that they already carry their own measure of power, but they require the words written down for each to activate it. These were a thoughtful gift indeed, and one I shall store till we are able to move into the new house. I will not waste the magic of these charms on a room that will be left behind. I showed the book to Lenore and explained my intention for the charms within. She seemed puzzled by this form of magic, which got a chuckle out of me. My father, being a ranger, had used magic of this sort now and then in the past, though I cannot write here a single blessing or incantation he used for my lack of personal knowledge on the subject. These charms have the same general 'feel' to them as my father's nature magic, so I find myself trusting that they were sent with good intent. Perhaps I should take Lenore's advice and present them to Calavel to be inspected despite my first impression.

Dare I say that Lenore has been giving me the 'look' today? I passed by the bedroom to fetch some blankets for the girls 'make a tent for the baby' session and happened to glimpse Lenore down the hall looking at me like a hawk eyeing their mate before a mating flight. To be honest I wanted to throw down the blankets and run over and grab her, but that wouldn't be the best behaviour for a mother to do, now would it? Perhaps later if I can get her alone and the children are entertained downstairs...

~ Eirnae Slytherin-Natenhar

July 17, 2004 (Late Morning)

Ever hear of the saying 'The wait was worth it'? Was it ever! Last night and this morning were as close to heaven as I have ever gotten, and that is saying something! Having Lenore all to myself, all night long and into the morning was exquisite! I regret that I fell into trance after one am, or at least that is what the digital clock read as I slipped into my visions. At least the timing wasn't completely off, with my Lenore satisfied recently and us about to go again. I'll admit that I feel badly that my instinct for rest overrode my hormonal instincts, but I think I made up for my transgressions in the bath later on.

Note to self, get more vanilla scented bubble bath.

I will be forever grateful to Lucius and Alimus for volunteering to watch over Damien last night. I know that for Lucius it must have been challenging due to his lack of sleep as a result, unless of course Alimus was kind enough to convince Lucius to rest while he took care of things. My unsleeping companion likely did so, but I have yet to ask as I see such as being his business.

Speaking of Alimus's business, I was surprised when my friend asked for Lucius if the Tsio could share Alimus's room two days ago. He must have been reading my mind, as Alimus's room was the only room at the time that wasn't already shared. Now I find myself wondering again, why did Alimus ask me that? He knew at the time that he didn't need to ask, he could merely offer his idea up to Lucius and see what the Tsio said. Was there another reason that he asked me? I feel as though my friend is hiding something from me, but I won't press. When he is ready to talk to me about it, he will.

How wonderful to sit around the table for breakfast, all of us together as a family! It was cramped, granted, but none of us really cared about that. Rubbing elbows is fine and dandy when those elbows belong to a family member. It's times like that which make me feel that we made the right choice to bring our two families together into one.

During breakfast and for some time after Lenore decided to release a barrage of questions about the elven lands, hertitage, Eilistraee, just about anything she could think of. I tried to answer them as quickly as they were fired off, but as soon as I got an answer halfway done another question would replace the first. I'm not quite sure what inspired this burst of curiousity about Lenore's elven half, though I'm suspecting the book of charms from the way she looked thoughtfully at it this morning. Whatever Lenore asks of me I shall answer to the best of my ability, and what I cannot I shall ask Calavel to aid me in answering. I have one of my mother's journals, a prize to me for both its knowledge of rogue talents and tricks as well its sentimental value. I have handed this treasure to my Lenore for her to read as well as the two books I brought from home, which my parents gave to me to keep upon my starting my own path over twenty years ago. I hope these aid her with her questions, though I am fully prepared to continue to be peppered by whichever ones are left.

~ Eirnae Slytherin-Natenhar


July 17, 2004 (Evening)

Well, I'm home again. I should say WE are home. Who is we? Well...that's a long story.

You would think that the cottage is crowded enough, right? Or at least crowded to the point that I wouldn't tempt myself by walking into an orphanage and see a bunch of young faces wanting a home. You guessed it, I went into that place despite my common sense screaming at me to go back out the door and march back home with my bubble bath and pears secured in my basket without a second thought.

Damn my lack of willpower when it comes to those stranded without a real home. Well, perhaps I shouldn't curse it overally much, for if I didn't go into that orphanage I wouldn't have seen Arlath.


Would you believe that she looks like she is my natural born daughter? She has my eyes, my hair, even my nose! She has a fondness for the colors black and silver, seems very attached to the short sword she wears sheathed and clipped to her belt, and has an alert and quiet nature about her. She didn't say a word on the walk back to the cottage, not even one of complaint. I know she took note of everything we passed by, as if memorizing the route so she could run it the next day. Good thing I told her that running away wasn't really an option, as Alimus is one of the best damn trackers on Gaia. She looked saddened for just a moment, then her face went back to that expressionless mask of hers. I didn't mean to upset her, but the thought of her breaking out of the cottage and running off into a world she doesn't know frightens me. I apologized for the slight, but I got no reaction. A promise of difficulties to come? Perhaps.

After getting home I noticed that the girls, meaning Shina, Nyoka, and Vinyn, had all left with Calavel for a picnic. That left just myself, Lenore, Damien, our two 'father figures' as I like to call Alimus and Lucius these days, and the rest of both Lenore and I's companions. Arlath didn't want anything to do with any of us, just wandered on her own till she found the kitchen and started to help herself. I decided to take it as a sign that she had at least resigned herself to living here. That's a good thing, right?

She hasn't even met Lenore yet. I do hope that goes well. Oh well, time for me to go and find my beloved so I can break the news to her...as gently as possible. Maybe that new bottle of bubble bath can be put to good use today after all.

~ Eirnae Slytherin-Natenhar