i might as well be the man on the moon

[truthwright]

Their Isabella having just gone to welcome a new Bell into the peal, Kas and Petaal snuggle up together and take a nap. They'll want to be well rested for the party.

When they wake up, she still isn't back.

[Jane?]

No response.

Kas teleports down to the Janepoint, Petaal wrapped snake-shaped around his shoulders.

The display reads: error 7788: lycanthropy

"...So that's new," he says.

"No shit," says Petaal. "Now what?"

He shrugs. She coils tighter.

"Hang around and wait, I guess."

Comments

[truthwright]

A natural thought and a rumour Kas started.

"If Helen wants to do something that impressive, I'm not stopping her," he says with a shrug.

[alicornucopia]

Charlie grits his teeth, and he doesn't tighten his grip on Helen, but he looks like he'd like to. The hackles on the back of his daemon's neck rise a bit.

[truthwright]

"What would I even do? I can ask her to be careful, but I can't make her listen."

[alicornucopia]

"Well," says Charlie. "Do ask her."

[truthwright]

"Of course."

[alicornucopia]

Charlie nods, and he pet's Helen's hair. Ranata sits next to him and puts her arm around his shoulders.

[truthwright]

Petaal nuzzles Kalavar's fuzzy feathers.

[alicornucopia]

It's a couple months after Kas has departed when Ranata says, [Are you thinking of bringing Helen by soon, dear?]

[truthwright]

[Has it been two months? Yeah, sure,] he says.

[alicornucopia]

[Do you want me to come get her or are you coming too?]

[truthwright]

[I'm coming too,] he says. [I'll be there in a while.]

[alicornucopia]

[We'll see you soon, dear. The queen's got everyone to quiet down about where she came from.]

[truthwright]

[See ya!]

Cheating with teleportation, he arrives by cloud-pine a few hours later.

[alicornucopia]

Charlie and Ranata are both home; Charlie reading a newspaper on the porch, Ranata fixing a few missing shingles on the roof.

[truthwright]

Petaal lands on the roof, wearing witch-silks and carrying Kalavar while Kas carries Helen.

[alicornucopia]

"Hello, dear," says Ranata, holding her arms out for the baby. Cas lands on Petaal's wrist to peer at Kalavar.

[truthwright]

Kas hands over the baby to her grandma.

[alicornucopia]

"Hello there, Helen," coos Ranata. "How's my secret grandbaby? Is she cute as a button? She is." She abandons the work in the middle and swings herself onto her cloudpine to come down off the roof and let Charlie have a look, moving slowly so Petaal can follow with Helen's daemon close enough for comfort.

[truthwright]

Petaal obligingly follows.

[alicornucopia]

Charlie coos over the baby too, and asks, "So what have you and Helen been up to?"

[truthwright]

"Nothin' much," shrugs Kas. "Went to Europe for a bit. Came back."

[alicornucopia]

"What all did you see in Europe?" Charlie asks.

[truthwright]

"Just places. A few big cities in France and Germany. None of the big touristy stuff. I'm not that interested and she's not old enough to notice."

[alicornucopia]

"'Course," laughs Charlie. "She's half a year old now, right, when's her birthday exactly?"

[truthwright]

"August."