fandomania | The Adventure continues...

Hi! I am back and managed to survive my wilderness trek. [shudders] Never again, if I have any say. And, unfortunately, most of my hatchlings died, even though some of them had lots of views and clicks. :-( [sob!]

Although I am very sad about this, I am perservering on and have bred more eggs and stolen some from the cave. Since I am not going anywhere for so long in the near future, with your help, these all should grow to adults. Thank you.

Our eggs:

The Story:

I spent most of the morning of their first birthday with Vâlen and Gælen. They had grown so much and were so independent for babies. Like Melia and Melisant, they were happy just being with each other. Although I think that they loved and still wanted to be with Donal and me and their siblings. Vâlen was the bolder of the two. He loved pushing his boundaries and trying to do new things. Gælen was more cerebral. He was always studying his world around him and trying to figure out how everything pieced together.

We were playing on the floor together, which probably was a mistake on my part, being almost eight months pregnant, I was finally at the awkward stage of my pregnancy and getting up without help was going to be a challenge. Gælen had crawled over to the chest of drawers and was inspecting the drawer pulls. I could see him trying to figure out how to work them to see what was inside the chest. Vâlen had followed his brother and just grabbed one of the pulls and managed, for the first time, to pull himself up on to his feet. He looked around at me, very proud of himself. I told him what a good boy he was. He then took his first steps towards me and managed to toddle all the three feet between us. I gave him a big hug and kiss and praised his accomplishment.

Donal had just come into the nursery in time to see his oldest son take his first steps. He too gave his son hugs and praise. Gælen frowned a bit, when he saw the attention his twin was getting. He then managed also to pull himself up, but he seemed less certain of himself. He took two wobbly steps and then fell backwards on his little bottom. At first, I thought he was going to cry, but he didn’t. He got this determined look on his face, crawled back to the chest and he tried again. This time he toddled all the way to me, where he got the same amount of hugs, kisses and praise as his brother did. But he wanted even more reward, and let me know that he also wanted to nurse, which I let him do. Of course, Vâlen then wanted to also. Heaven forefend that one brother would get more than the other. This led then to burpings, diaper changes and finally, nap time.

Donal stood many minutes watching his sons sleep. He turned to me, smiling, and said, “They are both so beautiful. They look so much like you, with their golden curls and amethyst eyes.”

“Yes, it seems that they have taken my coloring, but I am hoping that they will look like you when they start losing their baby looks” I commented.

“I am happy with them just as they are” said Donal. He then took me into his arms, and, feeling the baby move in my belly, he said, “I am hoping this one also will look just like his brothers.”

“Well, I am hoping that she will look like her father, with green eyes and straw colored hair.”

“She? Do you think this will be a girl?”

“Not for absolute certain, but she is acting just like Celianne did before she was born. I just will be happy when she arrives and is healthy and happy.”

“True. Very true. I suppose that we will have to think of names for girls as well as boys.”

“I was hoping to name her Eryssa, after my mother, if you like the name. If this is another boy, how about Eyrral?”

“They sound fine, although I prefer to meet the baby first before making the final decision.”

Tauntie Rosa came into the nursery, and said, “We are all waiting for you in the Great Hall.”

Donal blushed. “Thank you, Tauntie. I got distracted.”

I looked at Donal, quizzically. He explained, “Pahpey has called a family meeting for all adults. We need to plan for the future.”

And so we followed Tauntie Rosa to the Great Hall, where the family was gathered. We found seats next to Aunt Suthi and Uncle Farrell.

Pahpey got up and stood in front of his family. He was looking very serious.

“As many of you know, Tuščia Žemė fell to the Georgist armies several weeks ago. The Georgists have been slaughtering all of the royals, nobles and gentry that they can find. They have sent some of their armies through the passes into Alfaria. Fortunately, the King was prepared and had troupes stationed in the narrowest parts and have prevented the Georgists from entering Alfaria that way. The passes into Mahajatma are similarly guarded, but no one really expects them to try them, because the terrain is so hostile on the other side of our mountains. However, the Georgist ships have blockaded our major ports and made it difficult, if not impossible, to send out ships, even merchant ships. I have sent Brian and his family to Bellermine to run the company there and keep our interests outside of Alfaria going. I have also sent Stevar and his family to the Archipelagoes to do likewise. I probably should have done this a long time ago, but I became complacent and felt that Alfaria would never be attacked. Fortunately, both of my sons were able to use small fishing boats to bypass the blockades. We will be using this method to bring in necessary supplies for Alfaria. This and using the smuggler routes through the northern mountains. Alfaria will not be starved out.

“Unfortunately, the Tuščian refugees are fleeing Alfaria using the road to Rawn-Devu. So many are fleeing that the road is effectively useless. There have been many reports of thieves and slavers preying on the refugees. Reports of such are constantly being sent. Alfaria can no longer effectively patrol the road and Rawn-Devu appears unwilling to do so. The section that runs through Mahajatma has always been hazardous during the best of times.

“The reason I have called this family meeting is to start planning now for the future. We cannot keep our heads buried in the ground and ignore the events going on around us. We need to make plans just in case the worst happens and Alfaria is attacked directly by the Georgists. While most of us are of the merchant class, which so far the Georgists have not eliminated, we do have one notable exception and her children, who will need protecting. And there is also the fact that we are a very rich family, which might cause the Georgists to make an example of us. It is very difficult to understand the motives of these people. I don’t want to underestimate them.

“We are a large family, even with Brian and Stevar and their families gone. We still have over thirty children within the compound and twelve expectant mothers. Along with the adults of this family, we also have our employees and servants to consider. All totaled, we have over one hundred people within our walls. How are we to keep all of us safe? How are we to continue as a family and a company in case of an emergency? Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?”

There was silence for a while as everyone tried to think. There came a few suggestions of fleeing Alfaria as a large group, with hired guards and mercenaries to help protect everyone.

“To where?” asked Pahpey.

Suggestions of Rawn-Devu, Pradat-Vashnah, Mahajatma and even the Archipelagoes were suggested.

“With such a large group of people as we have, how are we to get to any of these places without attracting unwanted attention? And where would we find safe housing? From all reports, Rawn-Devu has little to no more housing, as they are full of refugees from both Freedonia and Tuščia Žemė. Mahajatma has a very inhospitable climate and their attitudes towards strangers isn’t good. Pradat-Vashnah and The Archipelagoes might be safe, but they would require long sea voyages to get there and we don’t have enough ships to safely hold so many people, unless you are willing to forgo comfort for several months.”

“How about hiding from the Georgists?” asked Uncle Eoin.

“Hiding?”

“Yes, hiding. There are caves in Kalnų Mountain. If supplied well, I would think that they would effectively hide at least our women and children for several days to a week. If I remember them correctly, they were used by smugglers a long time ago. Their entrances are well hidden. And they could be a way of getting our family out of the compound with a minimum of notice” continued Eoin.

Farrell nodded his head in remembrance. “I remember that we used to explore there when we were teenagers, but have you gone through them lately?”

“No”, replied Eoin, “But we certainly should check them out now. I am willing to.”

“But that would only be a temporary solution. Kind of a way station, filled with supplies and such. Did you ever visit the valley off of Slėnis Pass?”

“No. Where is it?” asked Eoin.

“Remember the waterfall alongside of the road? If you go behind it, there is a cave, which goes through the mountain and exits into an enclosed valley. It is the only way in and out of the valley. It is surrounded on all four sides by steep mountains. It is about three miles long and about a mile and a half wide. When I last visited it, there was an abundance of streams, trees and wildlife. If no one else has found that place and made it theirs, it could sustain one hundred people easily. If one started bringing in supplies carefully, especially building materials, it would be a perfect retreat to hide the family, until Alfaria was safe again.”

“I like both of those ideas” said Pahpey. “Both of them have merit and should be checked out. Eoin, you will be in charge of the caves. Farrell, you will be in charge of the valley. Anyone wishing to help them, see them after the meeting. I will look into stockpiling supplies and building materials. This will all take a lot of time to accomplish. I hope that the Georgists will give us that time. But this gives us more hope than just random fleeing. We shall meet again in a week’s time with reports, etc.”

Without even saying anything to me, Donal volunteered to help his Uncle Farrell explore the valley. When I saw him again, I reminded him of my due date and hoped that he wasn’t going to get so involved that he might miss seeing his daughter being born. Donal looked concerned and asked if I thought the baby might come early. I told him “No, I think the baby will be on time, but I don’t want you to get so involved that you will get stuck somewhere and forget.”

“I promise you, love, that I will be there for you. I would not miss seeing my child being born for all the gold in Rajfahar.”