The Children

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 13th July 2008

Characters: Teene, Geni
Description: Mother Geni and foster-mother Teene discuss the children.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 11, day 3 of Turn 4

"All in bed," Teene said with relief as she walked back into the living room of the Hallmaster's suite. She smiled at the Hallmaster's wife.
"Well, except the lovely Neva but she's just letting her mother cuddle her, I see."

"Yes, she's becoming very aware of who she can twist around her adorable little finger, and I'm afraid its her father and me." Geni smiled indulgently down on her daughter, who returned her gaze from deep, dark eyes.

"And what about me?" Teene flopped into a deep armchair and sighed with pleasure. "Do you think I'm immune?"

"No, I've seen the way you are with her." Geni laughed softly. "She seems to captivate everyone who comes into contact with her. To even the grouchiest of Masters in the Hall."

"Which is more than I can say for the boys. They're running riot here.
Ednes might need one of those early apprenticeships."

"Yes but which one?" Geni nodded in agreement, she hadn't been oblivious to her son's behaviour. His father being Hallmaster appeared to make the child think he could do or say what he wanted to the staff, she had had more than one talk with him, trying to keep Causton unaware of what was happening, knowing he would feel ashamed and possibly come down harder ont he child than he would normally.

"I'm not sure that he should apprentice here, I don't think he shows aptitude for the craft... do you?" she asked, thinking maybe she had read her son wrong and was willing to accept more than a second opinion.

"Nothing in particular but he's a clever boy with his mind always working. Even if not an apprenticeship, what about having him spend some time with other crafters, to see if he can be distracted? The Hall has some of many of the crafts he could take an interest in."

"I might talk to Causton about it. He doesn't know all of what Ednes has been getting up to, I've been aftraid of his reatcion, but I think you're right, we may have to see about him crafting early - to give him something productive to do."

"He's not a bad boy! Causton doesn't need to be angry with him. He's just ... smart and bored and used to being in a smaller place where they were more physical things to do. Perhaps we should send him out to work on the vines," Teene suggested with a chuckle. "They're still weeding out there, aren't they?"

"We could do, for now, but he'd see that as a punishment." Geni nodded, considering, "I suppose it would keep him occupied, though."

"I suppose it wouldn't be fair to punish him for being bored." Teene sighed. "I don't know what he needs. Perhaps some sort of skilled hobby - but most of those are usually done by women and he'd baulk at those."

"Yes, I can still remember his reaction when I offered to teach him to sew, when I started with Brylee. I thought we could sit at night and talk while we sewed, Brylee is becoming quite good now, but Ednes..."
she shook her head in despair. "Well, we can see if he would be interested in helping with the weeding, and I'll also have a talk with Causton and see if we can't get some craft interest stirred in the boy."

"Perhaps he's meant for greater things," Teene said with a smile. "Any dragonriders in your family?"

"No... actually, I don't think we've ever been fortunate to have anyone chosen. Though I think Causton has a brother and a sister who are riders." Geni's face creased in concentration, "Um, no - I can't think of anyone in my family. Though I do believe it's every boys, and some girls, secret dream to become a rider, isn't it?"

"Not mine," Teene said firmly. "I want to marry a wonderful man and have a large family of good-looking children. They'll have to take after him for that, of course, so he'd better be handsome."

"Oh, don't be silly." Geni laughed lightly, "You're not too bad yourself Teene. Besides, to a parent, a chid will always be good looking. I mean - look at my brood, nary an ugly one among them." she stifled a laugh at the expression on Teene's face.

"Of course not. You and Causton are both good-looking. And babies are always - nearly always - beautiful."

"I remember a few who were less than.... um, adorable." Geni laughed, trying to be diplomatic in her description, "but you have nothing to worry about. When you find a suitable partner, your babies will all be beautiful."

Teene laughed. "And when the boys get to ten Turns or so, I suppose I'll really appreciate how good Ednes is. Mine will no doubt be little horrors."

"You'll be an expert by then - you still have four of mine to practice on." Geni said, "And if this one is anything like the others, she will have us all doing her bidding for Turns to come."

"I'm sure she will." Teene made a move to get out of the arm chair.
"Do you want me to put her to bed?"

"Yes, er, no." Geni hesitated, "Much as I like to have some time to myself, and time with Causton, I really enjoy this peaceful time with Neva as well, time without the other children around." She lifted the child in her arms and dropped a light kiss on the infants forehead.
"You'd better lay her down, otherwise she'll get a second wind and we'll all be up all night." She sighed, lifting the child higher and placing her in Teene's arms. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Teene said, cuddling the babe with delight. "And I'll go off to bed, too. You can go and find your husband and have some of that 'time with Causton'."

Geni watched Teene go, and with a heavy sigh of contentment, she pushed herself up from the chair and went in search of some 'time with Causton' as Teene had suggested.

Last updated on the July 14th 2008

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