The Twofold Houses

[Rebonack]

[Post Party Cake Eating]

Oh! Miss Ambrosia wanted to talk to her! But Miss Ambrosia could have talked to her without it feeling questy so Lapis isn't sure if this is it or if something else is happening. Maybe the storm way over there? That seems important maybe.

"Hi Miss Ambrosia your sword fighting with Mister Wenomir was fun I loved it!" Lapis begins with her typical enthusiasm for literally everything ever. "I was just thinking it's kind of funny the party is still going I thought it was done."

That might strike Ambrosia as odd given that cake eating and playing with toys is still in full swing.

[Murkus]

[The Garden]

"That's not what I mean. But you're just one guy, and you've got your own life to live. And if some of them want to stay how they are, well hey, that's fine." Adir smiles. "Now, I can give you some pointers on how to talk to kids and how to get them to behave. Anything in particular that's giving you trouble?"

[Woblin Sleepover]

The twin boys watch with serious faces. Yes. Very serious.

[The Shed]

Adir gives her a dryly amused look. Sadly he knows a joke or a tease when he hears one. He can't help but snort a little when she finally smiles.

"So you enjoyed it," Adir repeats in a considering tone as he turns back to his own work. "That's... interesting. But it sounds like this was something you did because you wanted to, rather than needed to, so..." He has to mull on that. The word 'escort' enters his mind, rattles around, but he doesn't give voice to it. He wouldn't want to offend her with a label.

"And you're right. We don't mind. We take all kinds here," Adir says, smiling at Calanthe and giving her a wink from the corner of his eye. He feels comfortable speaking for Sakura on this matter. "I don't think there's anything the matter with it, so don't worry a bit."

"All that said, I'm afraid you'll be required to disclose some information," he says, face a rather poor mask of seriousness. He purses his lips. "For my records, of course. Like..." He feels a momentary flutter of hesitation, amusement, excitement at the rather peculiar and risque subject. It isn't like this was something you ordinarily get to discuss so candidly, and with a genuine professional no less. "...Did you pick your own, er, clients?"

[Gullara]

[Chitchat]

"Hm, I guess that's a good point. I don't really think about it that much, honestly." Sakura giggles. "I guess you have a lot more reason to think about it than me. With all your research and stuff."

[Shadowcaller]

[Chitchat]

"It's not a big deal as I said. Just curious about how. But more importantly, how well does Cora, Bastion and Jillian seem to take to her? Since as you know, Jezebel is moving in soon which means that there is going to be not just one but two more adults around with Calanthe." Cessie points out.

[Post Party Cake Eating]

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." The scholar smiles before turning to look at the party around them. Things were winding down.
"But it looks like the party is about over to me. Then again, it's the people at the party who decides when it's over isn't it? There's a party of sort back in my home region that can go on for weeks." She pauses. "But... that's not really what I wanted to talk to you about, Lapis. Since I'm surprised that I was invited here at all considering what happened at VIGIL. What happened to you. I know that you're resilient but that must still have hurt."

[Arkhosia]

[The Shed]

"Disclose some information, you say?" Calanthe's mouth curves into an entertained smirk, beginning to strip the hide from the meat below. "In a manner, yes. I worked for an agency; clients were offered to me, but I did have the power of veto if I disliked the feeling I got from them. It was a rather pleasant intermediary arrangement, I didn't have to manage publicity and sourcing clients."

[Woblin Sleepover]

Calanthe takes a moment on each hand, painting a pattern of "聞く" upon the back of each palm in crimson organic ink with precise and deliberate motions. Once the third is finished, she spins the brush up in her fingers and leans back, slipping the bristles into the corner of her mouth and sucking it clean of liquid.

"There, that should work for our purposes." Stoppering the container, the witch returns both brush and bottle to her pocket. "Now, my dears, ask one question each, take turns, and listen closely. These ones can be dreadfully quiet." And indeed, the three boys can already hear faint whispers.

"-Eww, gross - weevils?"
"Rather annoying, yes. It does not seem they've spread from the first quadrant."
"Should we ask the witch? I heard she helped out cluster C."
"Quit whining, the roots should be fine. Damage shouldn't be hard to repair."

[Rebonack]

[Post Party Cake Eating]

"I don't think the party should go for weeks I don't think Miss Cessie would like a party that goes for that long and we would run out of cake," Lapis helpfully points out.

Obviously such a long party would need WAY more cake than this one has.

Then come some more comments! To which Lapis frowns slightly.

"It's okay Miss Ambrosia no one was mad at you for being loud at VIGIL it wasn't your fault you had a bad dream telling you what to do but me and Miss Awen helped make the dream let go of you and then you were fine!" Lapis replies brightly. "I was glad I got to help you even if I got hurt a little because you were loud it's okay Mother says that that we're resilient enough to get hurt so other people don't have to be hurt."

Lapis gives Ambrosia a scrutinizing look.

"Do you feel bad about it still it only hurt a little and I get better really quick."

[Morty]

[Woblin Sleepover]

"Whooooaa." Tuskfang's eyes are big as saucers. "I didn't know mushrooms talked so much. But what should we ask 'em?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Post Party Cake Eating]

"I don't think the party should go for weeks I don't think Miss Cessie would like a party that goes for that long and we would run out of cake," Lapis helpfully points out.

Obviously such a long party would need WAY more cake than this one has.

Then come some more comments! To which Lapis frowns slightly.

"It's okay Miss Ambrosia no one was mad at you for being loud at VIGIL it wasn't your fault you had a bad dream telling you what to do but me and Miss Awen helped make the dream let go of you and then you were fine!" Lapis replies brightly. "I was glad I got to help you even if I got hurt a little because you were loud it's okay Mother says that that we're resilient enough to get hurt so other people don't have to be hurt."

Lapis gives Ambrosia a scrutinizing look.

"Do you feel bad about it still it only hurt a little and I get better really quick."

[Post Party Cake Eating]

"It's less how much I hurt you and more that it happened in the first place. Like your mother and you I am supposed to be resilient enough to be able to protect others yet I succumbed to the influence of the very thing I was trying to protect people from. That's what I like to apologize for." Ambrosia bows down her head before the girl and places her hand on her tome and lifts it out from its holder. "In fact, I'd like to make it up to you." She spreads the tome wide open and somehow seems to reach inside its pages to retrieve a strange charm, a necklace specifically, which seems to be made of hair.

Dragon hair.

Lapis might be able to figure out the source of said hair.

"Before you ask, no, you don't have to wear this. But if it gets damaged or you cut through it, I will come to your aid as fast as I can."

[Murkus]

[The Shed]

"Well, I'm your boss, aren't I? You gotta do what I say," Adir replies, smirking mildly himself. He flicks some gristle to one side and continues to cut. "...Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, yeah. You, uh, get all the hassle taken out of it for you. And then there's just... well, you said you had fun, right?" Adir's ears flick.

"Were there women and... men, both, at this agency?" he asks.

[Woblin Sleepover]

"Helloooo, mushrooms, how are you doing today?!" Cernunnos hollers at them, as though he thinks the 'shrooms might be hard of hearing.

[Gullara]

[Chitchat]

"I think they like her enough. They're usually off playing when they come over, so they aren't around her as much, though." Sakura considers. It's a bit different than the quieter moments in the household. "Oh right, the move is happening soon, right? That's so exciting!"

[Garden]

"Rules?" Lucy looks a bit confused at that. "Why are there rules?"

[Arkhosia]

[The Shed]

"But of course. Hard not to." Calanthe withdraws the knife and casually flicks some of the blood off on the floor. "It wasn't all sex, either - when lonely people are looking for companionship, sometimes that means they simply want a pretty girl to accompany them to dinner or a movie. A nice conversation."

Adir's curiosity seems to briefly surprise Calanthe. "Why, yes. The agency was very diverse, actually, as were some of my clients. I worked alongside a man named Valance a few times, and there was this lovely trans girl who gave me some excellent advice starting out - Chrisais, I believe her name was?"

[Murkus]

[The Shed]

"Pretty names," Adir murmurs, focusing on his work for a second as he absorbs what Calanthe's said. There's a brief beat where his knife stops sawing. "...Now when you say 'worked alongside', you mean, like...?" Adir rolls his hand in a wheel-spinning gesture. "Like directly alongside?"

"And - stop me if this is too tasteless to ask, but - how much did you, y'know, charge?" This last bit is said much more hesitantly as Adir chooses his words. My, it seems he knows almost nothing about the industry, not even ballpark figures.

[Arkhosia]

[The Shed]

"Yes," Calanthe states simply, as if it were obvious. "We shared a few clients, and he was quite pleasant. Taught me a few useful tricks, even." The next question, however, seems less expected. She thinks for a moment, tapping the blunt side of the knife against her chin. "Hm, I believe it was... around $160 an hour? Why? Wondering if you two can afford me?" The rabbit quirks an eyebrow and gives him a mischievous grin.

[Woblin Sleepover]

"Eeek! Who's that?!"
"Whoa, calm down C, it's just the three small ones. I think the witch did something with them."
"What? She can do that? Ugh, I hate new variables," 'C' pouts, clearly a little put out.
"We are doing just fine, thank you loud one. Pay no heed to my partner here - they are fussy."

[Morty]

[Woblin Sleepover]

"What do mushrooms do for fun?" Tuskfang pipes up. He finally came up with a question for the mushrooms.

[Murkus]

[The Shed]

"Oh," Adir says, blinking at the first answer. Well. This rabbit here has a past like nothing he would have ever expected. There is a tiny touch of color high on his cheeks at the general nature of the conversation, but that's the only sign of change he gives.

He begins to flay meat from bone with the creature he's working at, his knife moving in long and practiced strokes. He dismantles the creature with an odd sort of grace; if not a master's hand then one certainly taught by a master.

He takes a quick glance at her as she considers. He smirks. She's trying to tease him again. Well, two can play at that. The great stag leans on the edge of the table with one hand, really trying to loom over the bunny for a moment. His vest hangs open to reveal the firm, dense arch of his stomach and the inverted T of his broad chest.

"Oh, not exactly. Just trying to ballpark what you'd owe us at the end of the night." A little wisp of cold air trails up from the corner of his mouth as he looks right into Calanthe's eyes. "I guess I could cut you a deal though. Like a two for one special kind of thing. You ever do that?"

[Woblin Sleepover]

Cernunnos grins.

Gwydion will wait for his turn before adding another question to the pile. "Are you all friends with Calanthe?"

[Rebonack]

[Garden]

"Because-" Annie begins, only to stop in short order.

Why ARE there rules?

She really has no idea.

Just that there are rules she has to follow.

Maybe someone with a better understand of how the Dreamlands work could answer this question, but she definitely isn't that person. "Because there just are! It's like a game; games have to have rules otherwise it's just people doing things."

People are always just people doing this.


[Post Party Cake Eating]

Lapis is handed a necklace!

She looks at it quizzically.

If she's ever in trouble, in REAL trouble, Ambrosia would come to help?

Lapis looks from the trinket up to Ambrosia and says, "But it's Bastion and Cora's birthday. They're supposed to get gifts, not me."

Very perceptive of her.

How is it she could be getting gifts if it isn't her birthday OR Thanksmas?

[Arkhosia]

[The Shed]

For once it's Calanthe's turn to be taken aback, blinking in surprise as Adir casts a shadow over her. She looks up towards his face, down to the gap in his vest, and then back to his face, her own cheeks darkening slightly. So built, so tall, and so capable with a knife... you can tell what Sakura sees in him.

"W-well, we did do those kinds of deals, yes, and I suppose you two pay me well enough - but I'd be careful, Adir. I'm not sure Sakura could survive a suggestion like that." The witch smiles nervously, idly flipping the knife in her hand to face downwards - and then wincing, her eyes widening in surprise when the tip cuts a faint slice into her chin. Oh dear, that can't be sanitary.

[Murkus]

[The Shed]

"You're right. She's got such a weak constitution and all. A real swooner. We should try and take it slower, I guess-- oh, shit," Adir blinks a couple of times as he realizes Calanthe's just nicked herself with the tip of her blade. What had he been saying? Geez, what had he been about to say? Calanthe was extraordinarily distracting. Especially flushed and missing a shirt. She could really get a guy talking.

If Calanthe reflexively reaches for her chin to dab at the wound, Adir tries to gently stop her, briefly clasping the rabbit's arm. "Wait. Don't touch it." He smiles reassuringly. "It's alright. It's little. But we're both filthy. Come over here, lemme help," he suggests.

The stag will set his blade down and lead Calanthe over to a slop sink in the corner of the shed. There's a small hose fixed to the nozzle, coiled inside the sink bed. He gives his own hands a quick rinse, then lifts the hose so Calanthe can do her own. He smiles, awkward and boyish. "You, uh, want me to clean it up? We should rinse it, then I've got alcohol, cotton balls, band-aids. You know. Dad supplies."

He asks only because, well... there isn't a mirror in there for her to help herself, and he doesn't want to touch her without her permission.

[Arkhosia]

[The Shed]

Calanthe does indeed reach up to feel the cut, brow quirking as if noting it with idle interest rather than true concern. She does startle when Adir grabs her forearm, however, ears perking straight up. "Oh! Yes I suppose you're right. Hard to assess the damage when your hands are already red, for one." And indeed, bleeding it is, if only a trickle.

It's not hard for Adir to lead the witch over, though he may have to take it a little slow - the hand Calanthe had raised to feel the cut is the same one with the knife in a reverse grip, and it is rather difficult for her to place it down in such a position until they've arrived at the sink.

"I would appreciate that greatly, yes. Although I can - hold on -" After a brief hesitation, the rabbit raises her left hand over the wound in a loose claw shape, closes her eyes and concentrates. It only takes a moment before a scarlet rivulet stretches out from the wound and wraps around the palm like a coiling snake, staining the hand yet further. The faint purple veins scarring her forearm seem briefly more prominent, and the witch winces, breath coming out between her teeth in a quick exhale.

"T-there, it should be uninfected now," Calanthe advises, slipping her hands under the narrow spray and cleaning them vigorously. The flow of blood is quicker now, as if the action she'd taken had exacerbated it. This doesn't seem to faze her much as she tilts her chin to better present it to Adir, rivulets highlighting the pretty curve of her neck.

[Woblin Sleepover]

"Friends?" 'C' seems confused.
"It's a term animals use for their kin and clanmates," the other mushroom clarifies with great wisdom.
"Oh! Well, I suppose these would be my friends, then. Even if they can be dreadfully dull."
"Dull? Your favorite pastime is betting on which mushroom will be eaten next!"
"Well, yes. They grow back, and it's fun seeing what foolish creature does it this time."
"I prefer chatting with the oaks myself. They see so much up there, and have some great insight on the types of insects in the region."
"Yes, but they take so long to speak!"

[Keeper]

[The Garden]

"That's not what I mean. But you're just one guy, and you've got your own life to live. And if some of them want to stay how they are, well hey, that's fine." Adir smiles. "Now, I can give you some pointers on how to talk to kids and how to get them to behave. Anything in particular that's giving you trouble?"

The Garden

"Well. Getting them to follow rules would be a start. They're children and fae and that's not the greatest combination. Especially when some of the rules are for their protection and other people's."
G'nichi mostly trusts the hounds but...well they are technically contagious. Though he has no reason to believe that they'd ever steal someone's Name.

[Shadowcaller]

[Post Party Cake Eating]

Lapis is handed a necklace!

She looks at it quizzically.

If she's ever in trouble, in REAL trouble, Ambrosia would come to help?

Lapis looks from the trinket up to Ambrosia and says, "But it's Bastion and Cora's birthday. They're supposed to get gifts, not me."

Very perceptive of her.

How is it she could be getting gifts if it isn't her birthday OR Thanksmas?

[Post Party Cake Eating]

"When is your birthday party, Lapis?" Ambrosia asks. "Since this isn't a gift, it's a reward. You know, like what you get for completing a quest."

[Shadowcaller]

[Chitchat]

"I think they like her enough. They're usually off playing when they come over, so they aren't around her as much, though." Sakura considers. It's a bit different than the quieter moments in the household. "Oh right, the move is happening soon, right? That's so exciting!"

[Chitchat]

"Erm, yes. I wouldn't be too excited yet though. There's still a lot of work to do if we're going to make all this work. Need to refurbish several rooms in the keep and handle all the business that comes with it. We don't know how to handle the surname thing either. Right now we're considering just giving everyone two surnames legally. Not to mention a lot of other legalities which I'm not even going to start getting into. I envy you and Adir, you never had these difficulties." Cessie wasn't even sure that they had laws where Adir was from. Other than his fathers word of course. More like guidelines.

[Morty]

[Woblin Sleepover]

"What kinda animals eat you?" Tuskfang asks, his eyes wide and curious. He had no idea mushrooms had so much to say!

[Gullara]

[Chitchat]

Sakura giggles. "I never even had a surname." She reminds. "I'm sure it'll all be worth it in the end, though. I'm so happy for you two. Oh and I hope to see lots of her kids! That's exciting too."

[Murkus]

[Woblin Sleepover]

"Do you pay much attention to us at all?" Cernunnos asks, wondering how much the mushrooms actually 'see' around them. Maybe they're watched every time they wander in the woods and they never know it! Spooky!

[Garden]

"Right. So. I've had a lot of good responses from small incentives and positive reinforcement. They change their behavior, do good at something, follow the rules? They get a little something that they like. Now it's easy to go overboard on that - it's best to start with fairly small or mundane things. And what they hear from you when you see their good behavior is super important..."

Adir will put his hand on G'nichi's shoulder while he goes on, describing a few methods to discipline the little ones in as few words as he can. He tries to make allowances for their special condition, and maybe give a couple extra tips for that. All in all it's clear the man has a lot of experience in this department. It's no wonder that (most of) his kids are very well behaved.

[Shed]

"Aw, geez, Calanthe. You didn't need to do that. It looks like it hurts," Adir says, wincing as she draws up her magic and cleans the wound. Sure, the rubbing alcohol stings too, but there was something about the aftereffect...

"Now it's really leaking," he laments, reaching to one side of the slop sink and grabbing a couple of things. It seems he's probably nicked himself or cleaned up a wound from a hunt in here more than once. He hesitates for a moment before pressing a small white pad to her throat. He draws it up to sop up the blood, following the trail until he reaches her tiny laceration. His eyes are downcast while he concentrates, but they flick up momentarily to meet Calanthe's eyes. He gives her a reassuring smile. "Here, press that there for a minute."

He'll get a band-aid out while they wait a little for the bleeding to subside. He leans on the edge of the sink, peering at her. "...You're gonna have to tell me about those, one of these days," he says, pointing mildly at the thorny black ribbons that wind and wend beneath the skin of her arms.

[Gullara]

[Bedtime]

It's the beginning of bedtime in the Frescot household. It's always quite an elaborate process. There's a lot of kids and varying bedtimes for different age groups. It's the youngest that require the most hands on care, though. Sakura is standing in the bathroom behind Kissa and Malachi. The two toddlers are brushing their teeth with marginal success. Their motor skills aren't all there yet, but practice makes perfect.

"Oh, like this Malachi." Sakura helps guide the boy, but while she's doing that Kissa throws her toothbrush in the sink. "Kissa, you're not done yet."

"I'm done." Kissa disagrees and steps off the stool and heads for the door, toothpaste strewn around her mouth.

[Arkhosia]

[Shed]

"It wouldn't do to let anything that found its way in continue," Calanthe quietly protests, watching his hands from the corner of her eye. She doesn't pull away from the touch, all too happy to let him work... but Adir might still notice the faint way she stiffens when he presses the pad to her skin. It's been a while since she's felt someone's touch in that area, regardless of the lack of intimacy involved.

Gently, the witch raises her hand to do as Adir directs, fingers brushing lightly against his own and pressing down on the white fabric. She holds it steadily there, turning gently to regard him. There's only a faint look of unease and hesitation in her eyes when the topic of her strange scarring is raised.

"It's... what happens when I don't have something else to draw on." Her words are a little tentative, and delicately chosen. "Not all of my spellwork requires components, but it all demands... energy."

[Murkus]

[The Shed]

Adir tries not to look too closely at the way she shifts and stiffens at his touch. The feeling he gets is a little weird. Not entirely unwelcome, but it isn't as though he's put his hand on any woman's neck but one for going on a decade now. When their fingers touch, he fidgets a little himself.

"I can't imagine that's healthy for you... speaking in the long term," he broaches mildly. "Could you... I don't know, fix it outright? If you had something else to draw on?" His eyes rise to hers, searching. He grins and splits the tension like a knife, as is his talent, "Be a shame to leave a mark on such a pretty face. And you know, the whole family will go fussing over you."

[Arkhosia]

[Bedtime]

"My, is someone on the run again?" Calanthe coos, appearing just before the doorway. She's carrying Finian in her arms, gently rocking the sleeping child on the way to his crib. "I would follow your mother's instructions, Kissa. When you get to be Lucy's age, the tooth fairy won't be happy if you've not taken care of them."

[Arkhosia]

[Woblin Sleepover]

"Oh, all sorts of nasty things! Slugs, squirrels - there's even this one type of gnat that lays eggs on us so that its disgusting progeny can chow down on our poor little heads! It gives me quivers just thinking about it!" Did the mushroom on the right just shake? No probably not. But it's fun to pretend it did.
"Do calm down, we've not seen those foul things out here yet. it's not like we have brains to worry about losing up there anyways."
"Yes, but it hurts!"
"We only pay so much attention to you folks, certainly not as much as the squirrels and flies and bears. You won't eat us for instance, and usually don't squish us for fun. Though we do worry that you will chop down our trees."