Truong's Inn, Late Evening
20 Solmes, 333
Fate
It's a quiet, somewhat warm evening, the stars above concealed by dark gray clouds. The smell of wet is on the air, but it's still only just threatening to rain. That makes it rather quiet outside, with just a few stragglers scattered about the large, almost park-like garden, having a smoke and a quiet, murmuring chat in some indistinct language, or sitting in some remote corner and sketching, or taking a walk. The hedges stand almost like shields to the rest of Bakersfield, shields to the people, the noise, the sights. The sky is open here, too, the tips of skyscrapers hardly poking into the skyline. All in all, it's like a little bubble of a reality entirely separate from the massive, busy city-state.
The pond (more like a small lake) is mostly still, save the occasional reflection of a passing bird above. The swans are curled up in their nesting area, beaks tucked in their feathers, and eyes shut. Every so often one will lift its head to shake its feathers out, but then re-settle.
Vievka and Nikukas traverse barefoot across the meadow (their shoes waiting in their room), Nikukas inexpertly juggling the empty stoneware teacups while Vievka totes a smallish, steaming, samovar of distinctly Chlovak make. Vievka's hair, still quite damp from the bath she'd taken before dinner, is now collecting mist, settling over her in fine silvery drops. They settle over Nikukas, too, lining his eyelashes (which apparently are longer than their fair color had suggested).
"So what was Anatolios like?" Nikukas asks, seemingly out of nowhere. Not once does he take his eyes off the flying—or falling—teacups.
Though he'd spent the first couple hours mostly silent and keeping to himself, he'd proven to be positively gregarious once Vievka had gone to take her bath, chatting with Truong, playing with Kadir, Sharif, Hao, and Emi, and talking openly to anyone who engaged him. This seems not to have changed at all.
Daina
Daina walks along with, a basket on her arm and in it a blanket as well as some fresh baked sweet rolls. She'd considered doing something a bit more showy but then remembered they had had Momma's cooking to. A smile as she glances to the two of them, still a bit in wonder at the meeting. She picks a spot for them far enough away from the swans that they won't disturb them but near enough to be able to enjoy the sight of the curled up birds resting.
She pauses a moment and asks the grass to shake off the dew and absorb it so they would have a dry place to lay the blanket. Spreading it out and then taking a seat on one corner leaving plenty of room.
At that question she looks surprised and tilts her head. "Oh.. I only met him the once.. but he seemed... nice enough." She frowns a bit "what brings him to mind?" She questions as she sets the basket aside for now and starts working her fingers through her hair to get it dry. She too having felt a need for a bath after the trip into the other place. Her gaze moving from one to the other expectantly for their reply.
Fate
Sure enough, the dew rolls down the grass, seeping into the soil, before the blanket settles. This doesn't escape either Vievka's attention—or Nikukas, as he drops one of the teacups right in the middle of the drying grass. He stops to watch the phenomenon, lifting his cup only as a slow afterthought. Then he exchanges a look with his sister. But then he moves out of the way, to let Daina put the blanket down.
At this, Vievka sets the samovar down in the middle of the blanket, pressing it down a little so it'll balance on the soft grass. Nikukas settles down near it, setting aside the teacups and hovering his hands over it to absorb the warmth while the tea steeped. "Mama told us a little about the time you met him, is all." He looks Vievka's way again. "We've only heard about him. Mostly from Ahlaam. And she... really doesn't like him."
Daina
Daina huh's softly and ponders that a moment. "Well .. I mean I was a little bit a the time but I know he was very liked by Wessy .. and then did something that upset him. He seemed like he wanted to make up really bad but.. he didn't... ya know.. he didn't really get how he should go about apologizing and.. when to stop." She pursed her lips a moment. "I know Wessy and Ana were both pretty upset.. but no one wanted him.. you know hurt or anything.. well besides maybe Ahlaam.. at least from that expression she had on her face" she grimaces a bit and then shakes her head a little. "Still.. seemed ok.. just needed to learn more" she smiles faintly "How's Momma though.. and Bogulya? Are they both doing alright.. I mean I know I didn't ... take care of them or anything but.. I haven't really gotten a straight answer in a long time.." She breaths and gives them both a slightly apologetic expression.
Fate
Nikukas furrows his brow at this. "Huh. Interesting." He pauses, open his mouth to add something, then stops as the conversation clearly takes a turn. "Um... well... I don't know how they are right now, but before we left Mum was pretty sad because we were leaving. Maybe a little depressed—but Nahui Sofie was staying over to keep her company before we left. And Auntie Ange, a little, but she had to go before we did."
"Papa seemed okay, though." Vievka slips this in without skipping a beat.
"Kept spending all his touch points," Nikukas adds.
Vievka waves a hand in dismissal. "Yeah, but he always spends a lot of touch points around Memorial time anyway."
Daina
Daina nods a little to the update and then pauses "wait so.. what were you about to say about Anitolios?" her tone curious and maybe a little concerned.
She smiles a little thinking she could use some touch points from .. well everyone back home. She takes a breath and releases it, trying to get some of her meloncholy out with the exhailation.
Fate
"Oh." Nikukas looks upward, as if that's where his thoughts could be found. "It was just interesting because you're the first person who said he was nice."
"From what we heard he was trying to get Wes to be his boyfriend again," Vievka picks up a cup and fills it with tea from the samovar. She wordlessly holds it out to Daina. "And wouldn't stop even when he was told to stop. Wes had to move in with Ahlaam and Ahloom, but that didn't stop him either. Ahloom had to get Ra to go to Zeus to tell him Anatolios wasn't allowed anymore. And even then he showed up at Mum's uninvited during a family dinner because he knew Wes would be there."
Daina
Daina hmms a little. "Oh .. well I mean yeah.. he ... messed up... but I mean... aside from that he seemed pretty nice you know?" she shrugs "He shouldn't have been a creepy stalker to Wes though that's sure"
Her brow furrows. "I don't like what he was doin' so much but he seemed .. nice on a ... like friend level you know?" she smiles a little and the basket and opens it up to offer some rolls to the other two. "So did Momma tell you how totally ready I was for you guys to come along?" she gives a faint little chuckle remembering her own behavior.
Fate
Vievka fills another cup once Daina has hers and hands it to Nikukas. Then she takes a sweet roll with a murmur of "Ačiū," sticks it in her mouth to free her hands, and fills up her own teacup.
"Yeah," says Nikukas, taking the cup and using that to warm his hands. "She showed us all the drawings and stuff you made."
Daina
Daina says a soft thanks and smiles as she sets one roll on her knee and tears another into bits to toss to the swans. "Yeah .. it was going to be so cool" she shakes her head. "Guess it wasn't meant to be though.. I did get a nice second family though" she tries to perk up some. "And you guys had your dad to help you get into trouble in my stead I'm guessing" mostly teasing.
Fate
Vievka perks also. "Papa told us about the Arechavaletas from time to time," she says carefully around her mouthful of sweet roll. "It was so weird to meet Aaren. She looks way different than I pictured. And all those voices—I never met anyone with that many voices! And she's always singing, too! It's like being around Pizamar, except so different!"
Nikukas nods, eagerly, in the midst of a sip of tea. He gulps his sip down quickly and lowers his teacup. "Did anyone else come with you?" He thinks a moment, then brightens as he remembers. "Like Shea?"
Daina
Daina smiles some and glances towards the building "Yeah... Aaren's been working on changing her looks and stuff for a real long time" she laughs "oohh you should visit Hometown at some point.. songs always everywhere.. Aaren basically got the whole town singing" she sips at the tea and then shakes her head. "Kelly was the only one in town that wanted to come with us. Shea is a homebody I think" she shrugs some.
"Oh.. you mentioned memorial time and.. it's been a while I can't place it... " she gently probes.
Fate
"That's okay. It's a common thing, forgetting about your own memorial." Vievka's tone is mild again, her expression deadpan, almost smiling. Then she settles and grows somewhat more serious. "Every year Mum, Papa, Nikukas, and I take a boat out to Tír na Tearmann to leave offerings and tie clooties on the clootie tree. And then Mum and Papa pull out their chest filled with Dainelė-memories and get drunk on vodka as they go through them all and reminisce while Nikukas and I go to the village to hang out with our friends. Then we go back home for dinner and hang out the rest of the evening."
Daina
Daina looks surprised and then concerned. "Oh... but.. I'm coming back...don't they know I'm coming back?" she questions as she starts tearing up her roll and letting the crumbs gather on the blanket. "I just need to plant the seed and ... Lita said I should learn things and I've been doing that.. I mean .. it can't be too much longer" she says the last half to herself. Glancing to the other two and then pausing a moment .. "wait.. a village? Near the forge?" she questions.
Fate
Nikukas shrugs a shoulder. "Gramma says that the memorial's not for you so much as it's for Mum and Papa. Because you as they know you, as in the little girl, isn't ever coming back. Next time they see you, you're going to be almost a stranger. So it's basically like death."
Vievka perks at mention of village in relation to the forge, though. "Yep, that's the one!"
Daina
Daina sort of gulps a little at that explination and then nods slightly... "I ... well I guess that is true" she mumbles softly as she turns the cup in her hands. "umn.. " she clears her throat a little and attempts to shrug off that sad thought.
"I don't think I remember a village around there.. maybe I just didn't wander far enough... so um.. what's that like?" she questions as she takes a bracing drink of tea.
Fate
Vievka looks up, (because apparently that's where her thoughts are too) and says, "Um... quiet. Beautiful. Everyone's pretty friendly." She rolls her eyes downward, a little unsure about what else to say.
Daina
Daina nods a little bit.. "Well that sounds .. um.. pretty nice.." she fidgets a little with the crumbs and tosses them out towards the swans some into the water for the fish. "So.. er.. How did you get that cool thread of Fate.. I mean.. it's pretty impressive.." she smiles uncertainly, trying to keep the conversation flowing without somehow alienating her siblings further then time and distance had already managed.
Fate
"Last year, during the memorial, Eileen, Riordan, Saoirse, Oisin, and Vievka and I went to Abby the Bean Feasa," begins Nikukas.
"We help her with her chores," Vievka clarifies smoothly, without interrupting the flow of conversation.
Nikukas nods. "And she told us that the stars aligned just right and the water level in the loch was lower than it's been for the past three hundred years, revealing a grotto full of treasures in the cliffs on the far side."
"Which a great sorcerer put there just before he died," Vievka adds, matter-of-fact. "Uncle Bren says he wouldn't be surprised if that 'great sorcerer' was his father."
"So Eileen, Riordan, Saoirse, Oisin, and Vievka and I took a trip out there, climbed down to the grotto, and found the treasures." Nikukas motions to Vievka. "She got the spindle."
Vievka motions to Nikukas. "And he got a cloak."
Daina
Daina listens intently and her eyes widen some. "Oh man that sounds like a great adventure!" she then pauses uh... who're the other folks?" she smiles a little uncertainly. "Guess I've missed all sorts of arrivals huh..." she mumbles a little as she scratches behind her ear. Pausing a moment she takes out a joint and holds it out in offering to the other two, checking with look and action if either of them object.
Fate
Nikukas waves away the joint, casual, but offers no objection. "Arrivals?" He crinkles his brow. "Uh... no...? They've always lived in the village."
Vievka shakes her head a little to the joint. "Are you interested in 'arrivals'?" she asks.
Daina
Daina pauses "Oh right the village.." she pauses "I mean well .. maybe keep the list small for now like... any new family members?" She questions with a small smile. "Someone besides Momma has to be having wee ones right?" she lights the joint and takes a small puff as she looks between the two. "Did anyone follow you guys? I mean ya know.. from Mom and all?" exhailing carefully away from the two.
Fate
"No, but Mum and Papa are thinking about having another baby," Vievka says. Her eyes slide to one side. "Actually, they're talking about maybe having three more."
"And Nahui Sofie's pregnant," Nikukas adds. "Her and Natlatzin Alvaro's turn finally came up in the baby cycle."
"She's not due until next year, though, if things go normal," says Vievka. Then she straightens, bright. "Oh! And there's also Nakine-ka-mea-i-aloha'ia, who's gonna get to come to family dinners with us soon!"
"Oh yeah!" Nikukas perks too, a smile edging at one corner of his mouth. Then he regards Daina directly. "Nakine is Auntie Ange's girlfriend," he explains. Then he looks back to Vievka. "Do you think Kaleo and Iolana count, then?"
Vievka shrugs a shoulder and then says, "I mean, they're pretty much Auntie Ange's kids too, at this point. But in that case, probably all of their cousins count too."
"Mkay," says Nikukas. Then he regards Daina again. "There are a lot of them, though. Do you want to know all their names?"
Daina
Daina blinks a few times and her expression blooms into one of delight "Oh man there are so many.. I.. yeah I wanna hear about all of them... hold on" she digs around in her bag and finds a scrap of paper and a charcoal pencil. "Ok lay it on me" she looks over to them and smiles. "I mean I'm going to be a stranger but heck it's good to know how many people will be there when I get back"
Fate
Between the two of them, Nikukas and Vievka are able to list out the 34 cousins of Kaleo and Iolana by name, and even help Daina spell them all.
Daina
Daina listens and jots down the listing, making note of Auntie Ang's new gf and all "man that's pretty great... heh you guys are lucky, I had no kids around and you always had each other and then some!" she shakes her head a little and then sighs. "hope it doesn't take you as long to get home as it's taking me" she murmurs as she glances over to them. "I hope there's a place for me when I finally make it back" a sense of actual worry in her tone, sadness settling on her shoulders as they slump.
Fate
As melancholy sets in, Nikukas flicks a quick look Vievka's way.
Vievka makes eye contact with him, briefly, then regards Daina again. "Would you like a hug?"
Daina
Daina pauses and then gives a nod. "Yeah.. a hug sounds good, we've got a lot of those to catch up on.. if you guys are interested" she smiles a little wanly to the two and then holds her arms out for either one or both of them depending on who feels up to hugs.
Fate
Vievka hugs her readily. Nikukas, on the other hand, still opts to not be hugged, instead cradling his tea.
Daina
Daina gives Vievka a squeeze and heaves a faint sigh as she releases her a few moments later. "thanks... I'm usually able to keep a good mood.. just.. I don't know I guess I never really thought about .. how .. I've changed and the families changed.. " her brow furrows "I ..sort of wonder if I'm going to have a place to go back to... you know?"
Fate
Both Nikukas and Vievka are silent. Uncomfortable.
"Do you... um... want to change the subject?" Nikukas asks haltingly.
Daina
Daina halts and her brow furrows.. "Oh.. oh man do you guys know already that I don't did I get kicked out?! Can that happen?!"
Fate
"Ahm... No..." Vievka says, puzzled and growing alarmed, drawing back from Daina some.
Nikukas glances at Vievka. Then he straightens, looking directly at Daina. "It sounds like you might be having an anxiety attack right now." His voice is measured, calm. "Would you like to go somewhere else?"
Daina
Daina slumps and takes a breath and releases it. "Oh good" she rubs her face. "Hey... you guys learn to wolf yet? I could go for a run... "
Fate
"Learn to do what?" Nikukas asks, intent.
Daina
Daina waves a hand in a rolling motion "you know.. turn into a wolf?" she smiles and hops up to show them what she means.
Fate
Vievka looks into her tea. "No..."
Nikukas seizes the conversation again. "No, but if I put on my cloak it turns me into a gannet." He tilts his head a little. "I could fly while you run."
Daina
Daina pauses "Oh huh ok.. that's cool, Hey Vivi wanna ride me, I can even be a swan and we can all fly together" she offers
Fate
"No, it's okay," says Vievka. She offers a smile. "You two go ahead and have fun."
Daina
Daina p'shaws softly "Nah dun wanna leave you behind... " she jumps up "Oh I know... I'll dance you into a wolf... it's not hard or anything.. I bet you can do it! Wanna try, just have to follow my moves"
Fate
Vievka watches her for a moment, wordless.
"Maybe another time?" Nikukas prompts.
Vievka glances at him and then nods. "Yeah. Another time might be fun." She pauses. "Like tomorrow, after a long night's rest?"
Daina
Daina nods her head a little "OK sure that works... " she smiles a little uncertainly but then nods "hey then you guys can show me what other stuff you can do too right?" she pauses "I don't have many more .. tricks I guess I'll call 'em, but you guys must be like.... like trained right?"
Fate
Nikukas shrugs again and says, "Sure."