Name Day Flowers (May 2982) - [Ceolmund] (CW)
Dec 3, 2017 23:59:17 GMT -5
Post by Runa on Dec 3, 2017 23:59:17 GMT -5
Amalric’s overall pleasant mood darkened faintly as Ceolmund reminded him Elin, that witch who tried to call herself his mother, loved mead. The display from near two weeks ago was still ingrained in his mind, and the man wondered how often Ceorl’s children had to deal with Elin’s drunken displays at home to know that their mother loved mead.
“She wiw wike the candies bettew. Cawamels, noooo… Mothew doesn't want us to have candies… do you… do you think it is okay to twy some? If you don't eat the whow thing?”
Amalric grumbled a curse under his breath about that terribly harpy, but was mindful of his volume and the eager, listening little ears. After a breath he looked down to Ceolmund and smiled. “Oh, when you’re with me it’s just fine to have a full caramel square!” He said. The little boy looked nervous, so the man stooped and scooped him up into his arms and tossed him once in the air before pulling him to his side.
“Besides,” he hummed to him. “Nobody else was able to convince Runa to come. I think you need a reward for that!” He paused and kissed the boy’s cheek. “Look there! The bakery! Let’s go see if Sener has some fresh caramel squares!”
The bell overhead rang as they ducked into the shop, and the smell of sugars and candies wafted to the noses of the two that entered. A man appeared from the back, well kept and handsome in appearance, a white apron over his linen clothes. “Amalric!” He greeted.
“Sener,” the man answered with a smile.
“Is that new baby of yours here yet?” The man questioned lively.
“She’s on her way right now, thanks to Ceol here!” Amalric chuckled, setting the boy upon the ground. “Thought we’d come in and pick up some caramels for Hildred…but I’d like for us to test two squares first.” The man winked to the baker, and Sener grinned.
“Freshly made this morning!” He said as he turned and pulled soft, chewy candy squares to the counter. “Take your pick, lad!” He leaned over and lowered the tray for the boy to see.
--
For a moment, Hildred thought she was going to enjoy the last bits of her labor in peace—or, rather, in as much peace as she could with the ripping pains and exhaustion she felt. She reached for the glass of water, downing a gulp while the pain was subsided.
“That should take care of that,” Grelgi stated, noting the woman had disappeared from the window. “As your midwife,” the woman started once more, shifting her eyes back to Hildred as she moved for the bed once more to begin work. “I must recommend you move away from that—”
“Oh gods,” Hildred groaned pitifully as she heard her front door open and slam shut.
Her mothers scoldings were following. “Elin! Elin, get out of this house this instant—you have no right—”
But it was too late. The woman was already inside, coming direct to the bedside, face flushed in anger, and finger pointing in accusation.
“Hildred! You cannot shut me out when you've stolen my child yet again! I cannot believe you let him off with that troll to the market. I don't care what they're doing, you stop trying to claim my son.”
“Stolen your child?! You mean the one you didn’t wish for? The one you gave to me and my husband because you couldn’t be bothered with your milk? The one you stole from me after his first birthday?” Hildred was fuming, her pallid face for a moment flicking red upon her cheeks. The growing clench of her muscles, though, was drawing the color away just as quickly as it had been placed there.
Elin continued, and it seemed a blessing to Hildred in that moment Runa was making such a desperate attempt to escape, for she was able to scream her frustration under the guise of labor pains, and her voice carried well into the house. “This is a big one,” the woman gasped between groans.
“You’re doing well, Hilded,” Grelgi said.
“You and that… troll, you're going to have the guards called on you, I swear it. If you keep trying to kidnap my son… I'll...”
“Get out of my house!” Hildred exclaimed. “And if you want Ceol to stop coming to us, perhaps you should learn to love him the way he needs! I fed him, I rocked him to sleep, I played with him—he was mine! For a year, he was mine! He is bonded to me, and I to him. And you can’t accept that’s your own fault?”
Grelgi moved around the bed and latched a hand upon Elin’s arm. “I’ve had enough of you,” the woman growled, and with a firm heave pulled the woman toward the door. “If you come back and disturb my charge, or this baby, one more time, I will have you arrested and charged! You’ll make them both sick—and I’m already sick of you myself.”
She dragged her down the hall, and threw her from the front door, closing it and locking it behind without a backward glance.
“Grelgi!” Hildred was screaming now.
“I have the water!” Ishild declared.
“Hurry—that babe’s on the way,” Grelgi grunted, once more frowning as she took off at a run for the bedroom once more.
“She wiw wike the candies bettew. Cawamels, noooo… Mothew doesn't want us to have candies… do you… do you think it is okay to twy some? If you don't eat the whow thing?”
Amalric grumbled a curse under his breath about that terribly harpy, but was mindful of his volume and the eager, listening little ears. After a breath he looked down to Ceolmund and smiled. “Oh, when you’re with me it’s just fine to have a full caramel square!” He said. The little boy looked nervous, so the man stooped and scooped him up into his arms and tossed him once in the air before pulling him to his side.
“Besides,” he hummed to him. “Nobody else was able to convince Runa to come. I think you need a reward for that!” He paused and kissed the boy’s cheek. “Look there! The bakery! Let’s go see if Sener has some fresh caramel squares!”
The bell overhead rang as they ducked into the shop, and the smell of sugars and candies wafted to the noses of the two that entered. A man appeared from the back, well kept and handsome in appearance, a white apron over his linen clothes. “Amalric!” He greeted.
“Sener,” the man answered with a smile.
“Is that new baby of yours here yet?” The man questioned lively.
“She’s on her way right now, thanks to Ceol here!” Amalric chuckled, setting the boy upon the ground. “Thought we’d come in and pick up some caramels for Hildred…but I’d like for us to test two squares first.” The man winked to the baker, and Sener grinned.
“Freshly made this morning!” He said as he turned and pulled soft, chewy candy squares to the counter. “Take your pick, lad!” He leaned over and lowered the tray for the boy to see.
--
For a moment, Hildred thought she was going to enjoy the last bits of her labor in peace—or, rather, in as much peace as she could with the ripping pains and exhaustion she felt. She reached for the glass of water, downing a gulp while the pain was subsided.
“That should take care of that,” Grelgi stated, noting the woman had disappeared from the window. “As your midwife,” the woman started once more, shifting her eyes back to Hildred as she moved for the bed once more to begin work. “I must recommend you move away from that—”
“Oh gods,” Hildred groaned pitifully as she heard her front door open and slam shut.
Her mothers scoldings were following. “Elin! Elin, get out of this house this instant—you have no right—”
But it was too late. The woman was already inside, coming direct to the bedside, face flushed in anger, and finger pointing in accusation.
“Hildred! You cannot shut me out when you've stolen my child yet again! I cannot believe you let him off with that troll to the market. I don't care what they're doing, you stop trying to claim my son.”
“Stolen your child?! You mean the one you didn’t wish for? The one you gave to me and my husband because you couldn’t be bothered with your milk? The one you stole from me after his first birthday?” Hildred was fuming, her pallid face for a moment flicking red upon her cheeks. The growing clench of her muscles, though, was drawing the color away just as quickly as it had been placed there.
Elin continued, and it seemed a blessing to Hildred in that moment Runa was making such a desperate attempt to escape, for she was able to scream her frustration under the guise of labor pains, and her voice carried well into the house. “This is a big one,” the woman gasped between groans.
“You’re doing well, Hilded,” Grelgi said.
“You and that… troll, you're going to have the guards called on you, I swear it. If you keep trying to kidnap my son… I'll...”
“Get out of my house!” Hildred exclaimed. “And if you want Ceol to stop coming to us, perhaps you should learn to love him the way he needs! I fed him, I rocked him to sleep, I played with him—he was mine! For a year, he was mine! He is bonded to me, and I to him. And you can’t accept that’s your own fault?”
Grelgi moved around the bed and latched a hand upon Elin’s arm. “I’ve had enough of you,” the woman growled, and with a firm heave pulled the woman toward the door. “If you come back and disturb my charge, or this baby, one more time, I will have you arrested and charged! You’ll make them both sick—and I’m already sick of you myself.”
She dragged her down the hall, and threw her from the front door, closing it and locking it behind without a backward glance.
“Grelgi!” Hildred was screaming now.
“I have the water!” Ishild declared.
“Hurry—that babe’s on the way,” Grelgi grunted, once more frowning as she took off at a run for the bedroom once more.