Breaking The Ice (Part II)

Writers: AL, Kaysea
Date Posted: 16th July 2008

Characters: Fog, Eliste, Linli, Tahna
Description: Fog and the girls go on a picnic with Eliste.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 11, day 9 of Turn 4

"I think we're being watched." Fog said quietly as the couple neared the girls. "Well, have you picked a nice area for us to sit to eat?"
he asked, looking from one to the other.

The only response Eliste gave to his comment was a small smile and a quick nod. Her smile brightened a bit as she focused her gaze on the children, though she didn't say anything.

"Over here, I think?" Tahna asked looking from one ot the other. "I didn't think Eliste would want to sit in the sun for too long, so I thought this little area has plenty of shade?" she looked directly at her soon to be mother, "Is that okay?" she asked with a small, uncertain smile on her face.

Eliste looked to where Tahna indicated and her smile grew a little.
"It's perfect, Tahna."

"Hope you're all hungry?" Fog asked them all, as he plonked the basket down on the soft ground. This area was perfect for a picnic, nicely shaded from the sun and enough brush around that the light breeze wasn't a problem either. He pulled the quilt from the top of the basket and flicked it out over the ground for the girls. There was a tree stump lying along the ground, perfect for Eliste. He brushed it with his hand, making sure there were no rough parts to it, before helping her sit. "Neke packed a good basket."

Eliste's gaze fell across the younger of the two children and she smiled, uncertain as to how to go about starting conversation with the girls.

"After the meal, can we go for a walk out across the paddocks?" Linli asked, opening the basket and passing her father the plates and mugs.

"We'll see how we're all feeling, I want Eliste to get to know you girls better."

"I wouldn't mind a walk." Technically, she had been walking around much more than the healer had said she should. However, Eliste didn't want to hinder the children, and she hadn't had any signs of contractions at all. It also felt so good to be up and about that she relished every minute of it, especially after all that time spent in bed.

"Are you sure?" Tahna asked, giving her younger sibling a look that warned her not to push it. "We don't want you.... feeling bad." Tahna finished, unsure if it would be polite to discuss the babies arrival.
Her father hadn't discussed things with them as far as the baby was concerned, but Tahna was pretty sure the baby wasn't her father's.

"I'll be fine." Eliste assured her. "I want to go with you, where you want to go." It wasn't a lie. Fog was going to be her world, as would the girls. She wanted to be a part of their lives and she hoped they would allow her to be a part of theirs.

"When the baby comes, will it be our brother or sister?" Linli asked, looking baldly at Eliste's stomach. She had been aching to ask for such a long time, ever since her father had told them that Eliste would be joining them aboard the Sungazer as his new wife and their new mother. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, yet, any of it.

Crimson crept over Eliste's cheeks and she lay a hand upon her belly.
After a moment of uncertainty, she asked softly, "Would you like him or her to be?"

She looked at Tahna and then her father, "I..I don't know." she couldn't lie to them, but she really wasn't sure how she felt about the whole situation. First Eliste had been Ellina, a passenger on the riverboat, then she changed her name and she was to become Linli's new mama, she shook her head. "I don't _not_ want a baby brother or sister..." she said finally.

"It's okay." Eliste assured her, wishing she could assuade the doubts that she was certain plauged the child. "It's...it's a big change."

"You're right, it is." Fog said, his eyes meeting Linli's as he gave her a wink. "It'll take time for us all to adjust, but we have a little while." he reassured her. But how would he tell the girls that for the next leg of the journey, he wouldn't be aboard the Sungazer? He hoped they would take it well, and not think he was abandoning them as their mother had done.

"We should eat," Eliste suggested softly, "Then we can take a nice, liesurely walk."

"Sounds like a good idea." Fog said, "he opened the basket again and began removing parcels of food wrapped in clothes. "Smell's good." he said to no one in particular.

Eliste waited, then accepted a meatroll once Fog began dividing out the food. She nibbled on it for a moment, then asked the children, "What do you two like to do when you're ashore?"

"Explore." Linli almost choked out the words, around the mouthful of food she had. "Sorry." she blushed and looked at her father, expecting him to be frowning, but he had a strange smile on his face.

"Yes," Tahna nodded, "We all like to go out and explore the different places we stop. The younger ones love it when we're at Emerald Falls, because they spend a lot of time at the Falls themselves."

Emerald Falls was certainly not a place Eliste looked forward to going to any time soon. She knew the next time she was there, she would have to confront her husband, so the prospect of going wasn't necessarily a happy one - though if she could get away from him permanently, it would be worth it. "What have you discovered in your explorations?"

"Oh lots..." Linli gushed, "The waterfall is wonderful, and did you know, there's a cave behind it?" she asked, her eyes growing round.

"What?" Fog lenaed forward. "You've been into the cave?" he asked, his face creasing in concern.

"Yes, Dar, we've been in there lots." Linli nodded, her eyes looking from one adult to the other. "It's safe, we always go there."

"Is there anything in the cave?" Eliste queried, curious. She wondered what it was like, though she wasn't sure she dared to venture there.

"It's big inside, big enough for Rahona's brother's dragon." Linli answered enthusiastically. "Really big - and wet." her face fell slightly. But it looks lovely when you look through the water on a bright sunny day."

"You swim to get to it?" It did sound lovely.

"No..." Linli shook her head, glancing once more to her father a little concerned at how quiet he had become. Would they all get into trouble, she wondered. "No...you follow the ledge around and slip behind the water as it falls." she said warily.

"Linli!" Fog's face registered horror. The force of the water as it hit the bottom of the cliff would be enough to kill a man, and his child was telling him that she and her cousins had repeatedly crept behind the falling water. Any one of them could have been taken under with little chance of survival - and none of the adults had known.
"You must promise me, you won't ever do it again! Promise."

Eliste winced at the force of Fog's demand, wishing she hadn't brought up more detail about their adventures. "Surely if they're careful..."
The woman said softly, timidly, stiffening as she did so, her body preparing for the physical reprimand it was so used to receiving should she ever dare to talk back.

"No Eliste," Fog's voice softened, saddened by what he was asking of his daughter, but really five and six turn olds could so easily be hurt doing what they had been. He looked back to Linli, "Promise me?"
he asked again.

Linli dropped her gaze, and said quietly, voice barely audible, "I promise." It wasn't even so much that she was now to be banned from adventuring in her favourite place, so much as the disappointment she heard in her fathers voice.

"I hope you mean it." Fog said, equally quietly.

Eliste shifted, uncertain. She didn't know the place, she'd never been there. She had no idea if it was dangerous or not. She supposed it must be if Fog was so concerned for their safety. "Perhaps there are new places we can explore." She offered hoping to cheer them.

"You'd come with us?" Linli asked, latching on to the offer. Surely her dar wouldn't have any objections if Eliste were to come along with them. She looked at the woman with a new appreciation.

"I'd love to." Eliste's smile warmed visibly, "Though I can't do too much right now...but after the baby's born, I'll be a little more mobile. We can still explore a little now, though"

"Is that okay Dar?" she asked, turning and looking to Fog for approval.
"When the baby comes...can we?"

Fog realised he was under scrutiny from all quarters, and allowed himself to relax again, "Okay, I give up!" he held up his hands in surrender, "Is this what life will be like when I have to contend with all of you? Women..." he said, shaking his head in mock worry.

Eliste couldn't help but giggle. "I'm sure we can't get into that much trouble."

"I need to be back on the boat so that I have atleast some male support." he shook his head, but couldn't hide the smile that crept across his face. "Come on, you lot, eat up. If you want to go exploring, you'll need some energy."

Eliste's smile warmed and she turned it toward the girls. It seemed that the ice had been broken, somewhat at least. It was a start, if nothing else.

Last updated on the July 16th 2008

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Breaking The Ice (Part II)