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

[ostro_goth]

Adalgoth cuddles the kitten, smiling at Teja.

No, indeed, he might be smirking at Teja, and Teja rolls his eyes, suppressing a smile.

"They are too young to understand," he says.

"But they catch the tone of your voice!" Adalgoth says.

[wheatencrown]

"And children understand far more than you expect and this is a house of hope."

[fiery_ring]

"Yes, children can understand before they can talk." Carlotta says. "How old are the twins?"

[ostro_goth]

"Six months and three weeks," Adalgoth says. "They were born on the first night of November."

[wheatencrown]

"They're doing so well. Yes, you are, my dear,"

Demeter rubs noses with Valeria and laughs.

[fiery_ring]

"Does that mean they'll walk soon?" Carlotta asks.

[ostro_goth]

Adalgoth laughs. "They'll crawl first," he says. "And then they'll stand up, hanging on to anything they may grab. And then, they'll walk, and for a few months until they can listen to sense, all hell will be loose, and we must not keep our eyes off them for a single moment. And there will be two of them!"

[wheatencrown]

"It looked liked they were getting ready to crawl."

[fiery_ring]

"Ah, yes. In the circus, we tend to start turning them upside down around then." Carlotta says, grinning. "And we take it in turns to watch all the little ones at once."

[ostro_goth]

"Upside-down?" Adalgoth says. "In the circus? Why?"

[wheatencrown]

"I think to teach them to be comfortable just as you'll have them around horses so they're not scared."

[fiery_ring]

"Because being turned upside down makes some people feel a bit funny, so we get them used to it early." Carlotta says. "By the time they're about four, we try and get them balancing that way while being held."

[ostro_goth]

"Well, these two won't have to be circus performers," Teja says. "In fact, they won't have to be anything except mothers and wives, eventually."

Adalgoth shrugs. "And what can boys be? Farmers and warriors. We don't have fancy choices like we did in the south-lands. Or that you have in the future."

Valeria snuggles up to Demeter, giggling, not minding at all as yet.

[wheatencrown]

Demeter strokes Valeria's hair and back,

"No, but each life holds such possibility within it."

[fiery_ring]

"They could make jam, or pottery, or weave?" Carlotta suggests.

[ostro_goth]

"They will do all that, in the course of time," Adalgoth laughs. "That goes without saying. They will probably make music too, or tell stories to children when they are older, and brew ale."

[wheatencrown]

"We'll help them find many ways to thrive."

[fiery_ring]

"I've never known my mum." Carlotta admits. "So I've not spent that much time seeing what they do all day."

[ostro_goth]

"Just watch the women by the fire," Teja says. "That is what they do: - make food and clothes, provide drink and warmth and a home to come back to, bear and raise children, marry them off, and then tell stories to their grandchildren, if they are lucky."

[wheatencrown]

"They cherish and love them and in return are loved and see their children become their own people."

[fiery_ring]

"But in my time, many women want to go out to work, especially with the war." Carlotta says.

[ostro_goth]

"In wars, things are different," Adalgoth says. "In wars, women must take over while the men fight. But rarely does a woman turn shield-maiden and go forth with the men, as Haralda did, who came with her brother to rescue us after the battle of Mount Vesuvius, or as little Hilde is hoping to do, at least now, when she grows up."

[wheatencrown]

"Its hard to find a balance and everyone finds their own way. One of the hardest parts of being a parent is learning to let your children find their own way."

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta nods. Her father doesn't know what she's doing in the war, but she suspects he wouldn't approve.

She looks at little Myrtia, wondering what she will become.

[ostro_goth]

Myrtia grabs Carlotta's hair with her chubby little hand and giggles, delighted.

"She will become lovely," Teja decrees.

He has a special fondness for that little girl, for no other reason than that she was named after his own long-lost lady-love.