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 Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:01 am
Located on the River Dusk, the cottage is two stories with an attic for storage, the bottom floor made of stone while the upper floors are made of wood. The house is evenly split in half by the stair, with the bath back behind them. Upstairs, instead of the bath, the two bedrooms simply connect at that point. Warm wood floors, white washed walls, and dark green, burgundy, and earthy neutrals accent the rooms on the lower floors. Upstairs, the walls are instead cream plaster, all except in the nursery where Mori has painted a complex mural. On one half is that of a desert at the edge of the ocean in the middle of the day, while the other is of a mountain forest at night. Jon’s workroom is a shed kept a few feet away from the house, and there is a small corral and lean-to for Coal and Olidimara to be nearby. A well-worn trail leads back to the Striders’ main area.
(Note: You might want to PM me or Sage about where exactly furniture is when you are in a room. The living room in particular is a little…quirky. And Sage, you had better still have the detailed list, or I shall be cranky…)
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:19 pm
Sighing softly, Mori absently smoothed the plush velvet of the black toy cat she had made. Her hands had been busy, fixing this room up for the twins... As it was now, she carefully set the toy in the corner and eyed the work she and Jon had invested with a critical eye. Carefully done in a light and dark theme, it was perhaps a bit much, but she had been so excited to finally have children, she hadn't been able to stop. As it was now, she thought with a slight smile, these two girls were going to be helplessly spoiled.
She had picked up on the genders a while ago with her telepathy, and the captain had confirmed it by reading her aura. Mori had worried for easily the first two-thirds of her pregnancy that her demon blood was going to cause all sorts of trouble. Only now when they were past the critical point, and her babies could easily survive being born, did she relax and just enjoy the maternal warmth she now felt.
Rather than try to walk down the stairs, Mori took a seat in the rocking chair set up in this half of the nursery. With how far along she was, she really wasn't suppose to be up and about much. Staying still, however, was torture. It was why she kept sending Jon out after the craziest things. It kept him from hovering, and she was able to move around the house somewhat freely. The half-demon wasn't foolish enough to think he would appreciate her trying to walk down the stairs on her own, but at least she could walk to the nursery without him holding her the entire way.
A sharp kick from one of the twins made her wince as it hit her ribs, and she smiled ruefully. Soon... she thought to herself, running her hand over her extended womb, Soon, my petifi. You'll be here with us... The other twin let herself be felt with a kick of her own that thankfully missed hitting the same spot as her sister, and Mori couldn't help but think with a sardonic chuckle that they couldn't arrive soon enough.
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:32 pm
The door opened gently with Jon whistling as he entered with the goods Mori had sent him out for this time. It wasn't hard for him to figure out where she was as he took the packages with him up the stairs after closing the door behind him. He knocked lightly on the door frame with a pleasant smile before entering the nursery. "Day dreaming again?" His voice was full of happiness and joviality as he spoke. Things were rather pleasant after all. "The captain, Anlu, and Nemo send their best regards. Though it seems Nemo and the Captain were up to something. Strange thing is that that bandit didn't send word he was coming this time." He placed one package down nearby and picked up the smaller one. "Tea leaves, we were getting low so I went ahead and picked some up."
Jon moved closer to her and placed a small kiss on her forehead, "So how was your day, still feeling a little stir crazed?" He still was a little in awe every time he looked at her pregnant mid section. Fear, wonder, hope, joy all huddled into one giant ball as he thought about the oncoming change that resided there. This room represented that fairly well. The once cream walls had changed so much in the past months. It was still a pleasant thought. Plus this gave Jon a reason to stay at home which meant that he was living without the violence of the Dawn for a little while. It was almost like a vacation without the relaxation or such. Not that he minded, no in fact he had been enjoying the extra time with his wife perhaps a little too much, but hey it wasn't everyday that a woman was going to give life so why not enjoy it before the house was filled with crying and screams.
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:04 pm
Smiling as soon as the bond alerted her to Jon's presence in the home, she waited patiently for him to find her rather than seek her out. It was an ironic twist on their relationship, when it was usually her trying to find him after she was off doing something or another. Her pregnancy has forced her to take things slowly and not to stay constantly busy, something she had struggled with for most of her second trimester, especially as her morning sickness began to fade.
Her lips twitched as she tried not to laugh as he brought back whatever it was she sent him for this time. She didn't even remember. They soon eased into a smile at his thoughtfulness. Her tea had become almost like a medication, keeping her calm and focused so her powers weren't constantly causing trouble. "Anlu is still causing trouble and generally being a nuesance, isn't she?" Mori guessed absently, her eyes thoughtful. "I wish Puck would hurry up and come back. That girl is driving herself crazy, and she doesn't even know it, without him here."
Giggling softly at his sign of affection, she smiled brighter as she felt his emotions mix with hers. His own patience and calm center had been such a relief when she had been worrying throughout this pregnancy, and now the wonder and joy he felt, sometimes overshadowed by his hope, often melded with her own. It was a feeling that never grew old, and made her so thankful for their bond. "Alright," she answered, only to wince again and sigh, "But if your daughter doesn't quit kicking my rib we'll have to call on Anlu again." They had already once been to see Anlu for bruised ribs... Mori healed quickly from the minor wound, but she still kept an eye on how much pain she was in because of the kicks ever since.
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Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:45 pm
Jon laughed slightly before dropping down to the belly, "Hey now yall be nice to your mother now. You will have plenty of time after your born to irritate her." He let out another laugh, "Just remember I'm your favorite." He looked up and stuck his tongue out toward Mori with a wink before standing. He picked up the box of tea leaves, "I'll go ahead and boil some tea." He was all smiles as he left the room and went back down to the kitchen.
Without much effort he but the kettle out to heat and divided the tea into the strain so that the leaves wouldn't be left in the water. While he was waiting on the water to boil he picked up the broom and swept a little through the kitchen. It wasn't that the place was dirty, in fact thanks to them being home it was quite clean and maculate. It was more that he didn't have anything else to do at the time and he knew that he had tracked some dirt in with his entrance. He then removed his boots and put them where they belonged near the door and just then he heard the distinct kettle whistle he was used to by now.
Jon Quickly poured a couple of cups and then returned to Mori without spilling a single drop. He had done this way too much, seeing as he no longer even had to measure his amounts anymore. "Here you go." He handed her the cup before taking a seat of his own. "Now where were we."
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 8:58 am
Mori stuck her tongue right back out at Jon. “Yes, you’re the favorite,” she conceded with a wicked grin. “Though of course, this means you get to stay up with them if they turn out to be colicky.” Settling in her rocking chair as he left, she ran her hand softly over her extended tummy, humming under her breath without really paying attention that she was doing it.
Life had been so calm for them lately. Perhaps it was because the captain was going easy on them because of the twins, or perhaps it was a taste of what life was supposed to be like. She couldn’t say for sure, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to. Things were happy now.
She was brought back to reality by Jon’s return. “Oh, thank you,” she said softly, taking the cup he offered her with a sweet smile. Taking a sip, she hummed again, this time in appreciation. Jon had gotten very good at brewing her tea as it became more difficult for her to do so herself. She had changed from her preferred willow to a rich black tea with ginger. It didn’t exactly sound like something she would have drank before getting pregnant, but the ginger helped ease any lingering problems with her stomach and food while the black tea kept her emotions from swinging like a pendulum.
Lowering the cup, she tapped one clawed finger against its side lightly in thought. “I believe you were turning my own daughters against me,” she recalled with a slight laugh. It wouldn’t be a surprise to her if the twins really did turn out to be daddy’s girls.
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Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 7:57 pm
Jon laughed slightly at the accusation, "Well I have to get the best word in that I can before their born. The way I see it the captain will start sending me off again once she's able. Not that I can complain. So I have to get my words in edge wise while I can. You'll have plenty of time once there born to tell them the truth." He took a sip of the tea feeling the warm liquid run down his throat. They weren't good thoughts but they were the truth. Actually Jon hated to admit it but he had started to enjoy the excitement and adventure of being a strider. To be honest it was almost like he was meant for it sometimes. Plus the money was actually fairly decent and so long as he had enough to keep his family comfortable he would stick to it. Plus he would always be able to return to them. It always seemed quiet here, away from things. It was nice really. It seemed that no matter what happened at the dawn he could always come home and there it would be peaceful in it's own self contained world. "Besides I think that they will love you more than you know. What's not to love?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 8:55 am
A wry smile and silence showed that Mori had not forgotten what it was like for her growing up in her home village. There were several people who would be quite happy to list everything about her that was worthy of hatred rather than love. She prayed, frequently, to both her ancestors and to Nayru herself that her children wouldn’t inherit more than a smidgen of her powers, if any. And if her skin stayed uniquely hers, so much the better. His earlier words then made her stop and think. Mori frowned, looking down into her cup. “When do you think she’ll start sending you out?” she managed to ask softly, her voice mellow and calm.
She knew that they wouldn’t be able to partner up any more for missions. The twins would require both of their time, especially hers here in the beginning. But at the same time, being away from him for very long frightened her… She would have to be the one who stayed at home simply because two no-doubt-going-to-be energetic girls would keep her suitably distracted while he was away.
Mori was not accustomed to worrying about whether or not her husband was going to return home alive. She was usually with him. If he died, it would always be because she had died protecting him first and failed.
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Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:35 am
Jon shrugs at the question, "Whenever she has to. I don't think she would put you in that situation if she had any other choice, despite her distaste for me. I mean she does seem to care for your well being." He took another sip of his tea trying to think of the right thing to say. It wouldn't be pleasant being away that often. The thought of leaving Mori an his progeny behind not knowing if he was coming back or not made him very uneasy. He could feel the knot forming in his stomach.
"But you know that I'll always come home. It gives me more of a reason to be quick and expedient in my work. No matter how menial." He finally brought himself to look at her, "My little girls do need to know their father now don't they." To say that that thought didn't make him nervous would be a lie as well. In fact the thought of being a father scared the living daylights out of him, especially of little girls. He would be the first to admit that he had never had a father figure to show him how one was meant to act. He was pretty certain that most fathers didn't spend their free time locked away in a shed brewing deadly concoctions.
"Thn again maybe she'll send both of us every now and then and baby sit for us. That or force Yata to." He let out a laugh, "I'm gonna teach them to give that old troll hell if he does." There was a bit of a fox like smile across his face. "Someone has to cause him trouble after all." and he wouldn't dare hurt their children. If anyone did Jon had a vial ready for them.
It was thn that Jon heard a knock come from downstairs. He looked towards the door and shrugged, "Huh I guess we have company now." He placed the cup of tea down and slipped out of the room. He slid down the stair rail and landed gracefully in front of the door, "There's another habit I need to kick." With very little pause he opened the door to find a woman he had quite frankly never seen before.
"JON!" The exclamation left Alex's lips as she rushed forward and hugged him rather quickly. This was him, this was the one she had been searching for. It felt so good to finally find him and know that she wasn't too late. She took it in his look, his scent, even the dumbfounded expression on his face, this was so worth the extensive travel she had undergone.
Jon was swept up in surprise as the girl screamed his name and lept to wrap her arms around him, "Hello?" Who was this woman and why was she hugging him, he was so confused. He knew he hadn't been drinking so this was not a hallucination...what the hell?
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Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:45 pm
Mori smiled at his reassurances. They were exactly what she needed to hear at the moment. She even giggled a little at the idea of teaching the twins to harass Yata. When he left, her head tilted to the side as she watched him leave. Wavering for only a moment, she eventually stood (carefully and with a good deal of effort), resting her hands over her belly as she struggled to find her balance on her own two feet. "Whew," she breathed out with a slight laugh. If it weren't for the fact she already loved these children, she would greatly dislike the idea of being so ungraceful.
She walked carefully, keeping her hand always on the wall in case she were to fall. The half-demon arrived at the top of the stairs just in time to catch a woman hugging her husband. Under her own initial shock, she managed to pick up on Jon's, as well as his unease and panic. He obviously didn't know who this was either... "Jon?" she called down tentatively just to be sure, taking an uneasy step down. Curious, she eyed this stranger, not sure what she was to her husband.
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Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 10:24 pm
Alex's head popped up to look at the rather pregnant woman standing not to far away. Her brow crinkled for a moment in thought as she tried to remember the name. "Moooorrrriiiiiii? Yeah that was it Mori. Hello." The realization finally struck her that this might have looked rather odd. "Oh uhh this looks strange huh." She released the confused man and took a step back with a smile. "I'm Alexandra Sparrow and I know this sounds really strange, but um I'm your sister."
Jon look between the two women extremely confused. Had this woman just claimed to be his sister? How was that? No his mother hadn't done anything with anyone in a long time at least not for a price, and his father was supposed to be dead. Right? "How?" He didn't know where to start how did this chick know his name, how did she know Mori's, and how did she ever find him?
"Well" Alex thought carefully about how to state this, "Well I'm really your half sister. Your father is my father but that still makes us something right? At least I thought it did. The pretty white haired lady did at least. What was her name? Forni-cat-us? Yeah I think that was it and she was laying on the ground with a rather dark man who looked like he was from the dessert." Alex stopped herself before she started rambling. "But you're Jon and you're Mori, you are the two that I saw in my dreams. That means that my theories were right." She giggled lightly indicating Mori's midsection, "I saw them too."
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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 7:00 pm
Leaning on the stairway by pressing her hip against the rail, Mori watched with what could only be described as amusement. “Well, at least it isn’t my family for a change…” she couldn’t help teasing him. She took another careful step down the stairs before her center of gravity protested and she decided to wait on Jon. “And I’m not surprised it was the captain and Puck’s favorite desert rat that sent her our way without warning,” she added with an eye roll. Smiling at this girl, she said, “Yes, I’m Mori. Now, why don’t we get settled in the living room and figure this all out?” It was one thing to expect them to believe her on sight, but it was another to be rude and uncaring of what the girl was saying. These dreams also intrigued Mori, and she was curious as to the source, as well as what she saw of her daughters.
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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:16 pm
Alex's smile broadened, "Thank you so very much." and without much else to say she skipped off to the living room where she made her self comfortable on the cushion of the bay window. She looked out into the forest with wide eyes. She had grown up among trees and animals. So this was perfect. She could just see the sliver of moonlight being reflected in the rushing waters of the river. It was so beautiful in its wonder. She seemed thoroughly distracted as her eyes wandered over the scene that she had missed in her haste to get here, making her wonder what all she had truly failed to see in her travels.
Jon watched the girl walk off thoroughly confused already. "Well I didn't think I had a family for things to happen to." He moved up the stairs to her still seeming distracted in his thoughts trying to straighten all of this out, "Either you are being really sweet and welcoming or you have ulterior motives." He wrapped an arm around her waist and placed the other on a hand rail. He hadn't tried to pick her up since he had noticed her showing her pregnancy. He had a fear of dropping her plus he wasn't all that certain that he could right now. So one step at a time he helped down the step to the first floor and then to her chair. Once he was certain that she was comfortable he moved off to the kitchen returning with three more cups of tea. He handed one off to Alex and took another to Mori before settling down with his own.
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Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 8:24 pm
Titania sighed as she took human shape again. Spending a little time as a raven had helped her temper cool itself. Honestly, with all the drama taking place back home… She had just needed a break from it all. Seeing to Mori in her time of pregnancy seemed like a blessing. Demons certainly didn’t birth easily, and the noblewoman could only imagine how tricky things were going to be with babies that were only 1/4 demon. Her lips quirked as she tried to decide how best to warn Mori about emerging powers in infants, just in case. Puck, for example, had been able to make his toys come to him after only a few months.
Shaking her head from memories, she delicately raised her hand and knocked on the petite but pretty cottage’s door. Without waiting (Din knows pregnancy had Mori unable to rush to the door and the human was no doubt already being run ragged), she let herself inside. “Hello,” she greeted those around them, raising her eyebrow at the slight tension. “I believe you are my siblings-in-laws.”
Taking the cup he offered her, Mori smiled as she settled herself comfortably in her chair. “She just hinted at being able to see the future. Wouldn’t you have ulterior motives?” she asked as she quirked an eyebrow at him, taking a sip of the hot liquid. The feeling of another demon getting close hit her unexpectedly, and she scrambled not to drop the china. “Spoke too soon about my family,” she said with a sigh, just as a knock came at the door. Before either she or Jon had time to react, the door opened and in walked a woman that Mori had gleamed from Puck’s thoughts a long time ago. “Hello, Titania,” she greeted politely, glancing at Jon and whispering to him mentally, This is Puck’s mother.
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Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 9:21 pm
"My thoughts are on other things." It was all that Jon had to say before the demon made her entrance, startling Jon slightly. Was Mori's thought a comment or a warning? He couldn't decide which. Jon would be the first to admit that many of his actions had irritated Oberon. So there was a chance that this woman could have a sour taste in her mouth for Jon. Jon stood from his seat offering it to the new arrival, "Please make yourself comfortable." He then moved into the other room for a moment to return with another chair for himself.
He placed the chair within the circle of people and sat back down. It wasn't the most comfortable seat in the house but it did mean that he didn't have to stand and he didn't have to sit next to Alex, whom he was still uncomfortable with for the moment. Well at least thus was a slight change from the everyday routine. Jon would have said something if he knew where to start. He had a new sister and a sister-in-law here and this was a rather large amount to handle. He needed a moment to take all of this in.
Alex shifted her view to a woman she had not seen an image of in her dreams. She looked the woman over with a blank look before smiling again. "Hi I never saw you." Her eyes were wide as she looked the woman up and down. "I like your dress it's really natural, kinda leafy." It was a compliment when Alex said such things despite how odd they sounded sometimes. The folds in the dress made her think of leaves or petals for some uncertain reason, but she liked leaves and flowers so it was all good...right? It wasn't like the demon would take it a wrong way and then hate Alex because of it. No Alex didn't like the idea of being disliked by anyone, even if she didn't know them.
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