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Post by ealasaid on Nov 30, 2009 23:56:37 GMT -5
After Vingo handed Caden some bread, the older marten listened as his nephew haltingly explained himself. Vingo heard the kit out patiently, knowing how important it was for Caden to learn this difficult yet rewarding lesson. It was highly likely that Helandria had never even used the word 'love' in his presence, nor fostered the type of environment when one could even feel love.
As Caden looked up at him, Vingo rubbed his chin, thinking of how to explain this in a way that the younger marten could understand.
"I remember feeling the same exact thing when your mother was born. I remember holding her in my arms when she was nought more than a few hours old, an' I felt like my chest was going t'burst with this feeling just like what you described. It's called love, Caden, an' it really is a beautiful thing t'have. It's what connects us an' can drive a beast insane if he doesn't act on it, if he keeps it locked up in himself an' doesn't share it with another."
He frowned slightly, knowing that this all was very different from what Helandria likely taught the kit. "An' I know this probably all seems rather foreign compared t'how you were raised. I want you t'know that Helandria, good riddance to her, has very little authority or knowledge in anythin' except being a selfish survivalist who knows nothin' about the goodness of this world or of others. I doubt she taught you much, or anythin' about love."
Vingo's frown slowly faded as he continued. "But what you're feelin' now, an' have felt in the past with Ladorak, that love is somethin' right an' true, somethin' you can count on an' act upon. Even if you don't know what to say, it's often good enough just to be there. Like when you felt that way about Ladorak in the tavern, it would have been perfectly fine for you to jump up an' hug him. I certainly would have had I been in that situation."
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Post by Ladorak on Dec 2, 2009 1:02:51 GMT -5
"I agree...I am a bit worried about him. Why don't I go downstairs and invite him up?" Ladorak asked, handing Thersander back over to Jayd, making sure that Bryony was close by just in case. She was a good friend of his via Montegu Sylver, and was a trained vet by profession.
"I'll be right back." the ermine said, standing up now and giving his wife an affectionate smile before heading for the door. He hated to be apart from her side, and yet upon leaving he was a bit glad to take a few moments to clear his head. Wow....all of that had been so fast, and it just seemed to leave the ermine behind. He was struggling to catch up with it all.
Down in the kitchen though it was another matter. Caden was learning about this emotion called "love" that Helandria had never really taught him. And he listened well. He heard of how Vingo felt the same way when he held his newborn sister in his arms, and Caden could only imagine how his own mother had felt when he was born.....too bad he couldn't remember that. But still...how he must have looked....an albino, a unique sort of child after all...how had his mother gone through the experience of bringing him into this world?
He then listened to the description about Helandria. Wow...to hear Vingo just attack her like that....it left a bit of an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. His rat nurse had always.....been rough sure...but..wait! There was something wrong here too! He suddenly knew what it was that was so conflicted about him and his life.
But Vingo finished what he was saying, stating it would not have been a bad thing to have acted on his feelings. To have jumped up into Ladorak's arms, and that Vingo would have done so had it been him. An amusing thought entered Caden's mind now as he pictured Vingo his size and leaping up into Ladorak's paws. For some reason it just created the vision within him.
And then Ladorak was in the door. "There you are Caden...Vingo. Sorry if I'm intruding. I just wanted to know if you wanted to come see the kits Caden? You left in a hurry. Is everything alright?" the ermine asked with concern.
"Oh...yeah....I'm fine." Caden nodded. "I just...Vin's been explaining it to me. I just have a hard time expressing myself sometimes Ladorak." he explained, hoping the ermine wouldn't be too upset that he'd just left, but he seemed to understand. He knew Caden was still getting used to this whole thing and well Ladorak knew old habits were hard to break.
Caden hopped off the stool..but doing so suddenly caused him to remember something. "Oh! Vin...you mentioned Helandria...and how she didn't know things but.....she always said my mother was fierce, brutal and harsh on her enemies and that I should try and be like her? I....this isn't what I've heard about her from you and Ladorak though....was Helandria....lying?" he gulped, as he'd always been told about his mother from the rat maid, never having heard anything else.
This caused Ladorak to pause. Great....Vingo would have known this part. The bespectacled ermine looked over at Vingo now, pursing his lips. "Um....Vingo....I didn't tell you this fully from before. But...before you say it's more lies from Helandria....." he thought of how best to word this. He wanted to say this in front of Caden but....couldn't bring himself too. How could he tell her that his mother was almost a raving lunatic at the time of her death? She was still cognizant and fought for her country to the end......but still had that tarnished side as well.
"Your sister....had.....changed from what I had heard she'd used to have been like. I'm afraid she was quite different from how you remember her too. The death of her husband and.....the betrayal of her friend hurt her I think....." He shook his head, squinting now as if trying to see past Vingo. "I'm sorry....I didn't mention this earlier but I think it's why she had selected Helandria to raise her kit....." he fell silent now, his eyes resting on Caden. He felt somehow as if he'd betrayed both him and Vingo now...though he really hadn't. He'd just picked an odd time to lay this out.
Caden's brow furrowed again, in the manner that was familiar to him. "I'm sorry I brought this up now...it's just Caden's comment reminded me about how.....well she could be sometimes. But don't get me wrong! Even if she was.....well a lot darker than you remember her Vingo.....she still saved my life, and she still fought for her beliefs. That part about her didn't change. It's just....other aspects had." he mumbled at the end, looking down at the floor now.
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Post by ealasaid on Dec 2, 2009 1:32:32 GMT -5
Vingo nodded silently at Ladorak, then turned his gaze back to Caden as the kit spoke. He smiled when Caden jumped off the stool, though it faded with what Caden said. Of course Helandria would say things like that. She was always conniving and tried to form whatever she could into her point of v-
His thought was cut off by Ladorak's obviously uncomfortable explanation. Vingo listened, one paw on the counter, the other in his pocket, his expression falling to one of flat insecurity. Yes, he had heard stories from those he talked to while in Bully Harbor, trying to piece together what had happened in his absence, but Vingo had taken it all with a grain of salt, knowing how blurred things became with time and with the passing of stories from one beast to another. He just could not see his sister as the beast some had claimed her to be. How could things have gone so awry in her life that she turned to such dark ways? Who was he to trust? Ladorak seemed a trustworthy beast, one who really had no reason to lie, but Vingo found himself having a hard time believing even this stoat who had so far proven to be a friendly and honest sort.
His gaze fell to Caden once more. The kit looked confused, but now Vingo felt so unsure of things that he did not know what comfort he could be to his nephew. He realized that maybe, for once, Helandria may have been telling the truth, but it was not something that he wished to accept. What would Nuori have wanted of all this? Who was she? Was she the young, smiling marteness he remembered with the world before her and not a fear in her heart? Or was she the dark, brooding, unyielding and shrewd Minister who cared nothing for the goodness of life?
He said nothing for a few moments, the silence hanging over the three mustelids. Finally, Vingo sighed. The heaviness in his chest felt to him like the sorrow that had enveloped him when he first learned of his family's misfortune and the death of his father and two siblings.
"I...Well, thank you for telling me, Jal Fugate," he said somewhat hoarsely. "I'll let you tend to your kits for now. Caden, go ahead with Ladorak. I need some time to think..."
With that he left the kitchen, fetching the Lady Sonora from where he had set her next to the back door. He exited the house and went back to the tree he had been leaning against before, gazing across the sea, his paws picking out a sorrowful melody that matched the tumultuous misery in his heart.
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Post by jaydjasmyn on Dec 2, 2009 9:14:07 GMT -5
Jayd watched helplessly as her mate left the room. Inwardly she was worried. She wondered if Caden and dealing with his issues would always be such a struggle. At times she felt like an outsider to Ladorak, his relationship with Caden and their past life. The femme tried her best to put these feelings aside but they were still there none-the-less. She sighed.
The babes in her arms seemed as heavy as a ton. This was proof that she was very weak and being the good mid-wife that Bryony was she noted this and took the kit that had already fed. Jayd smiled up at the kind helper and then held her son up to feed. "I want to thank you Bryony. You've been a wonderful help. Honestly I don't know what I would have done without you." Bryony simply cuddled Nuori and then spoke softly to the Jill. "It was my pleasure M'lady. Now you rest and feed that son of yours. You need your rest and your son needs his nutrition and his bonding time with his mother. I suspect that Ladorak won't be gone long."" Jayd smiled as she adjusted her seating to where she was sitting up a bit more but at the same time she could lean her head back to rest.
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Post by Ladorak on Dec 2, 2009 14:05:17 GMT -5
Ladorak could only close his eyes as Vingo moved past him. It was probably just another revelation that Vingo didn't need right now. It didn't help that for the most part it had probably explained why his sister had chosen Helandria and no other for Caden's guardian. It did pain him that there were so many things to deal with at the moment. Such a busy time.....when he really needed time more than anything else to take care of things.
He felt as if he needed to care for everything in his immediate life. It was one of those times he wished he were just at sea and free of his worries for a time. Well he'd have responsibilities of course...but there was just something about being confined to land that made him feel as if he were being pushed into the ground, despite having all the free time in the world.
Fine...he'd let Vingo have what time he needed for now. The marten jack would need to think, and probably had mostly been alone for his life, and thus handled a lot of issues by himself. "Come on then Caden." This whole atmosphere was most certainly strange. The ermine felt as if he were juggling so many things, and was coming to a few realizations about it all as well.
But not voicing these, the ermine put his paw behind Caden's back and led him to the stairs. "Is uncle Vin going to be OK?" Caden asked now, as he had seen the personal grief on his uncle's face when he had left.
"Oh....I wouldn't worry. I think he will. We'll go out and see him soon, but let's just give him some time to himself for now OK?" Ladorak swallowed again, knowing that some things in life couldn't be helped...and others could be worked on. Molded into what one hoped would be for the best.
Re-entering his mate's room, a smile was once again brought to his face upon glimpsing his newborns. "Well there they are....Thersander and Nuori. New additions to the family."
In spite of himself, in spite of Caden having felt a bit left out before, he could feel nothing but that same feeling that had been described to him as love now. He could a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. "Go ahead....its OK." Ladorak urged the kit.
Still smiling, the albino slowly crossed the room, the floorboards squeaking a bit as he moved. He looked up at Nuori, and then down at Thersander. He wasn't sure what to say. He'd never been in a situation like this before. So he just stood there, smiling, as Ladorak came up behind him.
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Post by jaydjasmyn on Dec 4, 2009 10:43:56 GMT -5
By this time Thersander was done feeding. When Caden came to the bed Jayd held him out for him to see. A smile widened upon Jayd's lips as she watched the older kit's reaction to the babe, who promptly cooed and reached out for Caden's whiskers. "I think that he likes you Caden." Jayd looked up at Lad with happiness in her eyes.
In the meantime the Mid-wife was kneeling down with Nuori in her arms so that Caden could get a good look at her as well. Jayd began to speak. "Ladorak. Have Caden sit in the chair with a pillow under his arms and he can hold Thersander. I have to use the restroom." This would be the first time Jayd would stand since she came in with labor pains.
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Post by Ladorak on Dec 5, 2009 14:10:48 GMT -5
Caden backed a bit when Thersander reached out for his whiskers, but he found himself on the verge of giggling, and stifled it, ending in a sort of snort as he smiled back at the small kit.
He suddenly froze when Jayd mentioned him holding the newborn though. Him? Hold the male? He looked at Nuori and then back over at Thersander. "I....I don't think I should..." He said, shaking his head and trembling.
Smiling, Ladorak went over to him. "Oh come on Caden. It's alright. I'll be right here. Here Jis Bludd, let me have Nuori. You assist Jayd to the loo, and I'll help Caden with Thersander. Here..." He moved a chair over for Caden to sit on. The albino still looked nervous as all sin. He wasn't..used to being tender and gentle. He mostly rough housed around after all.
"Um...Ladorak..."
"You'll do fine...." Ladorak interjected, holding Thersander out for Caden to grab hold of. Gulping, the marten reached out, his paw coming up under Thersander's armpits, and the kit was brought up against the older marten's chest now as he sat down. Still smiling, Ladorak took Nuori and looked over at his wife. "Just take it slow. It's a long walk but make sure Jis Bludd is always at your side OK?" he asked.
Caden could only look down at Thersander, dazed. He was really holding a newborn. And granted this one was male, but had Vin felt this way when he had held Caden's mother? Reaching up and pulling on Caden's whiskers, the marten groaned a bit but still managed to giggle.
Vingo....yes Ladorak wanted to see him soon...but he'd wait for Jayd to come back. He wanted to see him in private in fact, to ask him about a few things.
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Post by jaydjasmyn on Dec 5, 2009 18:29:12 GMT -5
Jayd laughed when she saw the expression on Caden's little face. She had confidence that he'll do fine, especially if Ladorak was helping him. Jayd trusted her mate to not let anything happen to their kits. She was sure that Lad would be a worry wort when it came to his children. It was a good thing.
The mother started to get up. She groaned a little and held her still very tender belly but she managed to get up to her footpaws just fine. It was slow going and a little painful but Jayd made it there and back.
When Jayd entered the room she looked a little flushed but she was determined to make it just fine. The Mid-wife had time to change and straighten up her bed and as she was fluffing up the pillow Bryony was talking to Jayd who was now about to sit back down on the bed. "Tomorrow we'll get you up for a bath and have you walk a little. Having twins isn't easy and it can be dangerous if you do to much. The only time you can life the kits is when you are sitting... for now." Jayd rolled her eyes. She was never one to sit around.
After she managed to get into bed she looked over at Caden and Ladorak. "How's he doing darling?" Jayd giggled a little. It looked like Caden was having a good time. This was a good experience for him. After all one day he'll be a father himself. "What do you think Caden? He's very small isn't he? Would you like to hold Nuori now?" The stoat-tess was about to pull her covers up when Bryony gave her a look and did it for her. Jayd simply grinned cutely.
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Post by Ladorak on Dec 9, 2009 1:30:18 GMT -5
"He's doing fine." Ladorak responded with a smile as he looked down at Caden. "Yep....very small....just like you were when you were born."
"Yeah..." Caden breathed in awe, partly in admiration and partly in simple rapture at what he was holding. He.....found himself standing there with his heart racing, and his mouth hanging slightly agape, unable to do anything aside from look down at Thersander as the kit kept trying to grab the albino's whiskers.
"Here....switch off....I'll give you Nuori...and I'll take Thersander." Ladorak said, moving his strong forearm out and taking Thersander carefully from Caden's arms, who almost reluctantly parted with the kit. He felt as if he were....giving up something he didn't want to let go of...but then Nuori was placed in his arms, and Ladorak had Thersander.
"So there she is....named after your mother....hope you don't mind." Ladorak said, tickling Thersander's chin with his claw.
"Oh...no....I think it's a good.....I barely remember mom so.....maybe this is good." Caden said, still in that same reverent voice as he looked down at the female. It was almost too much....he wanted to leave the room....but at the same time he wanted to stay and just figure this out and what it was, as Vingo had told him to.
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Post by jaydjasmyn on Dec 10, 2009 10:08:27 GMT -5
Jayd watched things unfold before her eyes. It seemed as if the babies and holding them had opened up a door for Caden. It was a stepping stone for him, or so Jayd thought. The femme sighed and leaned back on her pillow. "I'll probably be needing some help with Caden. Do you think that you would like that?" Yes having twins would be quite a lot of work but it would certainly be worth it and Caden would make a wonderful big brother.
Bryony approached Jayd and handed her some hot tea. It would help with the pain and with the healing of her body. Shakily the mother reached up for it and then took a sip or two. For being a health aide it didn't taste all that bad. Bryony flavored it with a touch of honey and a little raspberry juice.
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