Taking Demeter and Carlotta to Gotland

[ostro_goth]

Teja is sitting by the door, turning the snake bracelet in his hands.

He is waiting for his friends to to turn up, so they may go visit his people together.

Comments

[fiery_ring]

"Hallo!" Carlotta says, smiling and crouching. "I'm Carlotta, what's your name?"

Despite her fear of childbirth, and a tendancy sometimes to not know what to do with kids from other eras, she doesn't seem fazed by the little girl.

[wheatencrown]

As Hilde collides with her, Demeter steadies her,

"Careful, Hilde. Where are you going?"

[ostro_goth]

"Out!" Hilde says. "It's boring in there!"

Pause.

"But not now that you're arrived. I'll go back in with you."

She looks at Carlotta, earnestly. "I'm Hilde!" she says. "The king mentioned you! You are really fierce and have done really well, he says."

[fiery_ring]

"Thank you, it's nice to meet you Hilde." Carlotta says, offering her a hand to shake if she likes.

This makes it easier - she hadn't been sure how to explain her relationship with Teja.

[wheatencrown]

"Good, because its raining a lot out there and you'll catch cold if you stay out too long,"

Its a pleasure to see Carlotta and Hilde together, they're so alike.

[ostro_goth]

"The king is here and he brought Demeter and Carlotta he's been talking about," Hilde calls inside, taking Carlotta's hand and trying to tug her along. "Can we make pancakes now? We have guests!"

Teja bends to pick up kittens. They are all really friendly and clamber all over him.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta follows the little girl, and introduces herself to anyone else she comes across in the house.

"You have an awfully nice home." she says.

[wheatencrown]

When they enter, Demeter takes their cloaks before moving to the kitchen to see if she can help.

[ostro_goth]

Around the hearth, Liuta, Gotho and little Rauthgundis are sitting with their spindles, quietly spinning yarn for weaving. Wachis is, as always, repairing something (it's a toy horse on wheels, actually) while some of the other kids are watching him, and Adalgoth is lounging on one of the bed-benches, with the two baby girls crawling around on him and beside him.

"I would get up and greet you," he says, "but I am doing duty as a rug at the moment, it seems."

None of those present are surprised or startled to see them any more, even though they are curious about Carlotta. The kids come to inspect her. There are three boys and three girls, all in all, counting Hilde but not the babies.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta greets all the children, asking them their names in turn and generally allowing herself to be used as a climbing frame.

[wheatencrown]

While Carlotta is introduced Demeter hugs everyone else,

"What can I do to help?"

[ostro_goth]

"Would you go help Adalgoth with those babies?" Gotho asks, after hugging her back and stowing away her spindle. "Rauthgundis and Alaric -- go fetch eggs!"

The two oldest children grumble, but go outside to do as they're told. Liuta starts grinding flour for the pancakes, and Gotho fetches milk. She looks much better, again, than she did the last time. Spring helps her to finally recover her strength.

Teja, his arms full of kittens, goes to talk to Wachis.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta picks up a baby and bounces her gently.

"Which twin is this?"

[wheatencrown]

Demeter picks up the other twin and laughs at poor Adalgoth,

"There now you won't have to be a rug."

[ostro_goth]

Adalgoth grins, and stretches. "You have Myrtia," he tells Carlotta, "and you, Lady Demeter, have picked up Valeria. Isn't it wonderful how they look at you now and laugh at you and know you?"

[fiery_ring]

"Myrtia, that's a pretty name." Carlotta tickles the baby. "How do you tell them apart? We used to have twins at my school who were awfully similar."

[wheatencrown]

"It is, they're growing so quickly."

[ostro_goth]

"They are totally different!" Adalgoth says, laughing with indignant amusement. "Valeria is quieter and has slightly darker hair, Myrtia is golden and laughing and quite a bit bigger."

'Quite a bit' is a few ounces, but Adalgoth is an enthusiastic father (never mind whether men of his people are supposed to or not), and to him, the differences are as clear as those between cats and dogs.

[fiery_ring]

"Sorry." Carlotta says, looking from one to the other to remember the differences. "So you two won't be playing tricks on your Mama and Papa when you're a little older?" she says to Myrtia.

[wheatencrown]

"I'm sure they will and probably getting Hilde to help them,"

It seems something that twins do even Apollo and Artemis found their ways to.

[ostro_goth]

"All these children play tricks," Adalgoth grins. "Singly, in groups, or in one big conspiracy when the eaves are suddenly awash in giggles while they wait for us to fall for their ruse. These two won't be an exception; especially if not everybody can tell them apart that easily for some reason."

[fiery_ring]

"One of the sets of twins in my school went a whole week pretending they were only one girl when they arrived." Carlotta muses. "Doing half their lessons, taking it in turns to sleep in their bed..."

[wheatencrown]

"What happened?"

[ostro_goth]

"But where did the other one hide?" Adalgoth asks, amazed and fascinated.

[fiery_ring]

"In the box rooms upstairs." Carlotta says. "Of course, eventually they were both caught in the same place at the same time, and got into terrible trouble with the head."