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 Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 5:13 pm
This is a private RP thread authorized for the following: botticelliangel, Kamileunaire, draconianraven (or any of her unGodly amount of mules) and moi [Jan the Verse].
The primary characters, though we won't exclude the possibility of others, will be (respective to their owners) Cedric, Vasu, Mordred and Edmund.
And the children twisted
What Has Gone Before:Jan the Verse The following being a hand-written letter on spiffy-nice paper (as opposed to stationary with petunias on it) addressed to Cedric. Letter My Lord, Please pardon my omission of extended pleasantries, but I have become troubled with the most baffling of predicaments of late and wish to seek any guidance you might choose to bestow upon me. It would be far preferable to meet face to face, but if you are otherwise preoccupied I would, of course, not seek to detain you from any responsibilities. If you are, however, somehow available, please notify via message at the soonest possible hour when and where I could possibly seek your counsel. -Edmund botticelliangel A day later, an answering letter arrives at wherever the note orignated. Interestingly enough, the paper on which Cedric's response is written is...stained. It also seems as if he was unable to write even this short letter without interruption, as the first half is penned in one color ink, the second half in another. Cedric Dear Edmund, It would be my pleasure to meet with you. My days, of late, have indeed become a bit more chaotic that I would enjoy, but I can certainly make time for a friend. I would suggest that you simply come to my home but at this time...perhaps it is not the best place for a conversation. As it happens, I am going to be at _____ Park tomorrow afternoon. If it is convenient for you, perhaps you could join me. I'm not quite sure where it is you live, but below are the directions from the shop. I very much look forward to seeing you again. -Cedric
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:00 pm
It is a matter not of cowardice but self-knowledge and therefore power to be able to admit to one's failings. Edmund was, nevertheless, unaccustomed to it. He had, however, found himself more and more entrapped in a particularly trying and grueling predicament of late, and had therefore come to a habit of admittance to certain... inabilities.
Unfortunately, there was no question as to whom between he and Mordred was better equipped to deal with their situation, and thus the majority of the task had fallen to him. Heavens only knew what might happen if he left Mordred alone with the children. Which was why he had left Mordred alone with the children and Arthur. The two polar opposite instincts would hopefully counteract each other absolutely - Arthur's instinct to rid the world of the children and Mordred's instinct to, if not rid the world of Arthur, at least give him a literal hell of a time in remaining. ...On second thought, perhaps not the brightest idea he'd ever had. A low, tired growl that ended up more as a groan escaped his lips and he placed a hand to his temple. Of all the things in the world to happen...
Edmund was a gentleman, a product of noble training if not breeding, a paragon of etiquette and intellect, uneager yet willing to take to the field of battle. Yet despite his qualifications and despite whatever brilliant (so he thought) actions he took to take the children (and sometimes Mordred) by the reins (figuratively, so far) he still managed to feel ill-prepared nearly every second of the day...
But this damnable, unfamiliar sense of inadequacy was not the reason for his current endeavor, in pursuit of which he had situated himself in this park which was, he realized upon arrival, the type of park one took small children too - what with it's gymnasiums, sandbox and slides. The initial impression of concern he'd felt upon examining the state and words of Cedric's letter was beginning to crumble away into a certain type of speculation. Perhaps the problem that had brought him here would not be so difficult to solve...
Taking a seat on a bench within sight of but out of immediate hearing range from the playground, Edmund reveled in the few minutes of silence provided by the first absence of children and mate since... practically since the arrival of the children. Cedric would arrive, he had no doubt. It was a simple matter of waiting, and Edmund had always been very good at that.
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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:54 am
Cedric had had, you know...reservations. About bringing the children with him. He remembered very distinctly what his own impression of Nykoa had been, when he saw him with his children. He'd been so terribly amused, because people like them, people who acted so...dignified and reserved and children...created a hilarious sight. It wasn't how one wanted to present oneself. But...he couldn't leave all four of the kids with Vasu, not if he wanted to keep his mate from exhaustion, and the kids needed to get out as it was.
So he sucked it up. The angel entered the park with Alexander in his usual spot, resting on Cedric's hip, the angel cradling him gently as he slept. It seemed what Alex chose to do, most of the time, which was FINE as far as Cedric was concerned. It meant one less child to be constantly keeping an eye on.
Merle, on the other hand, was in a stroller because the child was, if not the exact opposite from his brother, then very close. Even now, he was trying to climb out, to explore.
For the meeting with one of the people whom Cedric wanted to maintain a dignified image with, the angel had taken the time and effort to dress nicely, even old-fashioned. Of late, he really had been more taken to wearing jeans and a t-shirt, because...kids and silk didn't exactly mix, you know? But he had brushed his hair - though in a ponytail, because Merle just LOVED to yank on the golden strands - and cleaned up and taken the kids out.
The angel entered the park, shushing Merle quietly and keeping a lookout for Edmund. When he came in sight of the coon, Cedric had one last pang of...well, embarassement before he recovered and strode forwards to greet his friend. His smile, however, contained some amount of that embarassment. What would Edmund think? "How nice it is to see you again." He murmured when he got close enough.
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Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:44 pm
To Cedric's benefit, Edmund had never been in the habit of revealing his impressions if they served him no purpose. And there was no purpose in telling the prince he appeared to be a babysitting fairytale. Edmund himself was, as ever, inclined to the more old-fashioned of dress, though as his taste was not for the elaborate he'd never found himself standing out in the crowd. Provided, of course, the crowd wasn't a rabble of teenagers. The light, well-crafted but quite old coat he used for travel tended to stand out amongst the more modern of Gaia.
"The pleasure is, as ever, mine to share," he responded, standing as Cedric approached, Edmund inclined his head in a slight bow, a short, sweeping gesture with his hand either part and parcel to his show of deference or indicating the children, one couldn't be sure. "Am I to presume this is the chaos that has so occupied your time of late, Cedric?" he asked, faintest of smiles curling at the ends of his mouth.
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Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:53 am
Mmm. Perhaps the clothes, when paired with the stroller and the children themselves was not the best choice. But it was that certain quality in Edmund - the familiarity with court ettiquite, the adherance to court ettiquite - that would most likely forever prompt Cedric to become proper once more, even when that instinct was dying - close to dead - around other people.
He reshifted Alex, smiling wryly at the comment, and at Edmund's amusement. "I believe if you made that assumption, you would not be far off the mark." Cedric retorted, looking him over.
Alexander continued to sleep, but Merle was staring up at this new person with wide green eyes, clearly curious
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Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 7:56 pm
"I have ever been of a most discerning mind," Edmund chuckled, another smooth gesture welcoming Cedric to sit, as if the bench were situated in Edmund's home rather than a public park.
Ah, yes... home... something would have to be done about that, to find a more suitable place for the children to grow than the Townhouse, which was beginning to seem a more and more inappropriate place for small creatures. Take, for example, Madison's fondness for them. The unicorn was an unacceptable influence. ...Actually, he was the worst of the problems Edmund had with the Townhouse, the rest being negligible or even preferable. Marks' attitude of disdain was a healthy change in environment, and the new fox, Guildenstern, had some knowledge of etiquette.
Banishing the wayward thoughts, Edmund glanced first at the child curled into Cedric's embrace, "Ah, the angel..." he murmured, unconsciously punning - then to the bright-eyed boy attempting escape, "And the... other?" his smile lingered for sheer amusement. This one reminded him of a certain other little boy...
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:20 am
The wonderful thing about living in an apartment building, rather than a house, was that ones living quarters were entirely self-contained. He didn't have to see anyone he didn't want to see - except perhaps on the stairs - and he didn't have to let those he didn't trust into his home, and therefore near his children.
The angel took a seat on the park bench beside Edmund, shifting Alex once more so that the little angel was now curled in his lap, one hand reaching down to stroke the long red hair, a smile flitting on to his face briefly before he focused his attention on Edmund once more.
"I'd say a demon, but he's not that bad." Cedric replied wryly. "An explorer, perhaps. A troublemaker, certainly. Even at this age." He regarded Merle for a moment, pushing the stroller back and forth from where he sat to keep the little one entertained.
"How have you been?" Cedric inquired politely.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:41 pm
Trouble was born in the womb, they said - they being those few who had encountered Edmund's less urbane side, usually. The child was merely energetic, rambunctious. Or he could assume for now, until they were better acquainted. If ever they were better acquainted.
"If you were to look upon your own time of late, you might glean a better idea of how I have been," Edmund mused cryptically, gaze drifting from Cedric and the children to the playground some distance off.
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Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 11:28 pm
It took the angel a few moments, but then he raised an eyebrow, unable to mask his surprise at the statement. If there was someone with whom the idea of children fit less than Cedric, it would certainly be Edmund. Not that the angel thought that his friend would be a bad parent, but...it simply didn't click.
"Ah." For a few more moments, his face registered a look of surprise, and then wry amusement. "Congratulations are in order, then? I must admit, I wouldn't have expected this."
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 11:48 am
"My most gracious thanks, Cedric - though to be entirely honest," and he was, on some level, "Neither had I." Considering his relationship with Mordred, it had seemed an impracticality, if not an impossibility...
And yet, there they were. A legacy.
"Perhaps you might now see the root of the conundrum about which I hoped to seek advice," he chuckled.
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:15 pm
"I believe I might, yes." Cedric agreed, with a little smile. He tilted his head to the side slightly. "How many children, out of curiosity?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:29 pm
The vast abundance of Edmund's court training barely managed to conceal the wince that wished to make itself known as his response, and instead manifested as an uncomfortable clenching of various internal organs. Too many, a vagrant thought suggested. "Four," he said instead. "A tad more than a handful, if you might imagine.
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:44 pm
"I can do better than imagine." The angel responded, with an amused laugh. "The other two are at home with Vasu." It was...rather...a coincidence that they had the same number of children, around the same time. At least there was someone to sympathize with.
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:18 pm
Someone else might feel ashamed at having left their mate with all four children. But not Edmund. Mordred, if he could not handle it now, was going to have to learn how to handle it later. "A gracious act indeed. As you may see... I have not been quite so kind to my Lord..." he trailed off into a smile bordering on smirk.
"Knowing that you might fully understand the current predicament is of great reassurance to me," he added. "Four offspring and but two parents is... a situation I was not prepared to deal with."
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Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 3:01 pm
Cedric raised an eyebrow, and then laughed again. "Pray that he's still in one peice when you get back." He was mostly joking. They were only infants, after all.
Well. MOSTLY.
"Yes. I completely understand. What can I help you with? You asked for guidance in your note. Though I must warn you, Edmund, I was no more prepared for this than you were."
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