The Redwood Orphanage in Beyond the Sanctum Forum

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The Redwood Orphanage

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Shalkai	The Redwood Orphanage	Lead	[-]
Posts: 1544 (02/12/09 7:17 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Shalkai points ahead and upwards to a building constructed around the trunk of the mighty tree, about 40 feet above the platform ahead. Arches spring up from the trunk and curve up and out to support the floor of the building, with a winding staircase curling its way up from the platform into the base of the building. The exterior of the cylindrical building is constructed of redwood and cedar, and seems to have four floors, from counting the rows of windows circling around its sides. There are many windows visible, but no balconies, and only a small porch or landing just below what must be the entrance as the stairs wind up into the building. A sloped roof of shingles protects it from the frequent rains that keep Faydark green. "Well, there it is! A few more stairs, unless you want to get hauled up like a load of firewood, and we'll be there!" Last Edited By: Shalkai 02/12/09 7:19 PM. Edited 1 time.
Akierra		#1	[-]
Posts: 210 (02/13/09 12:44 PM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Akierra stares up at the large building and blinks a few times, it is much bigger then she thought it would be. No matter, she was happy to have finally arrived. I think the stairs will do, probably safer too. She giggles as she begins to climb them but pauses after a moment. You sure it's okay that I stay here? I'm fine with getting a room at an inn. I mean twenty children plus staff... might be kinda... busy? And I certainly wouldn't want to be a bother. She shrugs slightly. I'm really fine either way, just glad to be here.
Shalkai		#2	[-]
Posts: 1545 (02/13/09 6:04 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Oh, no, you're fine staying here, Akierra. There's a couple of empty rooms. You can just flop in one of them when you get too tired to keep your eyes open any longer. That's about what I do, though sometimes I sleep in one of the boy's rooms and tell them tales before bedtime, just as a special treat for them, now and then." Shalkai unlocks two different locks on the door at the top of the stairway, and opens the doorway. Inside is a hallway curving right around the treetrunk, and another open door on the left, with a dark-haired wood elf leaning in the doorway, looking at the newcomers. "Hello, Shalkai. I thought it might be you, since most of the people with keys are already here. Have a good trip?" Sarotar smiles at Shalkai's nod, as Shalkai closes and locks the door behind them. Sarotar turns his gaze to Akierra and gives her a little bow. "Welcome, Akeera, I believe it was? It was a pleasure to meet you at the Confirmations last month, and it is a pleasure to see you at the Redwood Orphanage. Why don't you two come have a seat here, and you can rest for a minute, while I get you something to drink. Wine? Water? Plus, of course, I'm curious to hear what brings another Sigil to visit here from the far side of Antonica." Sarotar smiles as he helps Akierra and Shalkai dump their bags and get settled on a couch in his office.
Akierra		#3	[-]
Posts: 211 (02/13/09 10:38 PM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Akierra looks around the office curiously, then nods at Sarotar with a smile. It's nice to see you again. I wouldn't mind a glass of water if that's alright, I really shouldn't drink wine. She giggles. Well, I guess you could say I am here to learn? I am expecting a baby and I... well I know nothing about what it's like. So I asked Shalkai if I could spend some time with the little ones here, you know hands on experience and all. I am eager to learn and I figured you all wouldn't mind an extra set of hands for a few days. She shrugs with a bright smile. So whenever you're ready to put me to work, I'm here! Last Edited By: Akierra 02/14/09 4:12 PM. Edited 1 times.
Shalkai		#4	[-]
Posts: 1546 (02/17/09 4:48 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Sarotar gets them both tall glasses of water, then takes a seat in a nearby chair. "There's a little washroom right behind you - why don't you take turns rinsing the dust off and catching your breath, then maybe Shalkai can show you around. So you can stay with for a few days, eh? Wonderful! You can spend lots of time with the babies, and see the rest of the kids a little bit as well. Maybe Shalkai and you can play a little music and tell some stories after dinner for everyone a night or two, too....not tonight though, I'm sure you'll need the rest!" "Oh, Shalkai, speaking of visitors, I got a letter from Van. He's due back from Surefall tonight or tomorrow. I'm not sure if he'll be staying here or at the Soldiers. Probably depends on if he wants to be around mobs of yelling kids or mobs of yelling teenagers." Sarotar laughs quietly, then turns to Akierra. "Van is our nickname for Vandrexas, a journeyman with the Soldiers of Tunare. He grew up here, and found a place with the guild a few years ago. He's been advancing quite well, and even earned some special training in Surefall somehow, despite his youth." Akierra and Shalkai take turns washing off the road dust, in between chitchat about their trip here with Sarotar. After that, they take their leave, and head out of his office. "All right, Akierra..." says Shalkai, as they head around the hallway on the first floor, " you get the brief tour of the whole place, since the nursery is all the way up top. Down here, Sarotar's office is right there by the exit. Then you've got store rooms and the laundry room, marked with the little laundry basket sign for the little kids. After that is more storage, then the dining room. Here, we can look in - it should be empty." They push open the double doors to the dining room and look in. The room takes up roughly a third of the whole floor, minus the part at the center for the treetrunk and the hallway. Six windows with the shutters thrown open let in plenty of light and fresh air. There are two low 8' long dining tables, sized more for children than adults, and three round tables with regular sized chairs. "We've got room enough to seat everyone who lives and works here at once, though that doesn't happen too often. Once in a while for holidays and special dinners we'll fill things up. We used to try to eat in shifts, to keep down the noise, but it just made things slower, and didn't really make things easier to control. We just have one adult sit at the head of each kids table to keep a lid on things, help pour drinks, things like that, and that seems to work pretty well. Let's see who's in the kitchen." They step in thru another door in the side wall into the room where the bangs and clanks of pots and pans could be heard. Two wood elves, a middle-aged man and a very young woman, look up and greet them. "Hello! Everyone, this is Akierra, a Sigil and bard - she'll be visiting us and helping for a few days. Akierra, the gentleman there cleaning is Markon, our head cook. The lady there making rolls is Jaldri, the assistant cook. Don't worry, you two! I'm just showing her around, not raiding your goodies.....yet!" Shalkai and Akierra chat for a minute with the kitchen staff, and each take an apple from a basket to tide them over until dinner, then head back out. "Well, that's the first floor. Up we go! The second floor should be empty right now, unless anyone is sick or cleaning. Basically, it's the boys floor. There's a bathroom and five bedrooms. Sarotar is in one, Preldonit and Jaldri live in another, boys are bunked in two, and one is basically a guest room. I won't show you any, because the rooms on the fourth floor are basically the same." They wind their way around the hall on the second floor without meeting anyone, and climb the stairs to the third floor. "Up here is where most of the kids are during the day. We've got some small closets and bathrooms, but most of the room is divided up into two classrooms for the older kids, and a big playroom for the younger kids. I think we'll just skip by everything right now, though. If we stop to introduce you to everyone, it will take an hour or two to say hello and answer questions. Let's visit the playroom and classrooms tomorrow, all right? I really want to get you up to the nursery, so you can meet Kal and Deslana." Once again, they walk through the hall, past several doors behind which many children's voices can be heard. After circling to the right around the might tree trunk once more, they take another flight of stairs up to the fourth floor. "This floor is built on a similar plan to the second floor - a big bathroom, and five bedrooms. Two are bunkrooms for the girls, one is a bedroom for Kalinaea, one is the nursery, and one is empty. Kal's room is the first one past the stairs. The bigger girls are in the third and fourth rooms, the nursery is the fifth. Bathroom is the last room. And here is the nursery!" Shalkai opens the door, and lets Akierra enter first. She sees a room smaller than the dining room, but still quite large - perhaps 12' x 15'. Along the left wall are two cribs and a larger bascinet. The right wall has a full size adult bed and a small child's bed up against it. The outside, curved wall has a large couch and two rocking chairs near it, under the three windows. She sees an elderly Feir'Dal sitting on the floor, rolling a ball back and forth to a small boy sitting there. Shalkai smiles, and says quietly, "Hello, Des. Deslana, this is Akierra, another bard and Sigil, and soon to be a mother, as well. Akierra, this is Deslana, the very first person I got to work with me when I first started many years ago. Akierra finds herself short of both family and practical experience as motherhood approaches, so she wanted to come here and get some practice and tips. Is Kal around, I hope?" Deslana nods at Shalkai "Yes, she's just next door, giving Kestrel a bath. She should be back in a few minutes. Let's keep our voices down, Nita is sleeping." She tilts her head over at one of the cribs. Akierra looks over at one of the cribs, and sees a tiny head poking out of a pile of blankets. Deslana continues "Well, Akierra, welcome to the orphanage. I'm here during the days...I'm too old to manage kids day AND night, as the grey hair shows, but I still love taking care of them. This little one with me is Arowan, a Feir'Dal boy who loves crawling around and chewing on things. He's quiet and happy, except when his teeth are really bothering him. He's almost a year old. Little Nita over there is only a few months old - she'll be the closest like to your newborn. So, how long til your own little one arrives? It's always hard to tell with the half-elven." Last Edited By: Shalkai 02/17/09 4:53 PM. Edited 1 times.
Akierra		#5	[-]
Posts: 214 (02/17/09 7:40 PM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Akierra can't help but shrug when she is asked how long she has left. I... I don't really know, I have heard it varies. I can only tell you I am about four, maybe five months along so far. I wasn't even really sure what to expect, but Starlene was very helpful in explaining a few things. Can I, have a closer look? She motion over to the crib. When Deslana nods, Akierra quietly walks over to the where Nita is sleeping and peers down at the youngin. A smile quickly takes form on her lips and she continues to stare at the baby, fascinated, so innocent, so peaceful. She soon finds herself wondering if her child will look just as serene while it sleeps. Her own child... Akierra quickly shakes her head and looks back towards Shalkai, Deslana and the young child. She is careful to keep her voice low as not to wake the baby. How long do they usually sleep for? Always in the middle of the day like this? I mean I heard they sleep a bunch, but I thought that meant during the night. Or... do they sleep during the day and are awake at night? She shakes her head once more with a quiet giggle. Sorry, there is just so much I don't know. Turning away from the crib she walks back over to where the others are. She smiles down at the little boy and speaks in a soft and friendly manner. Can I sit with you? Maybe play a little?
Shalkai		#6	[-]
Posts: 1547 (02/17/09 9:44 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The little boy sits there and looks up, wobbling slightly and ball completely forgotten, as all the big people stand around him. When Akierra smiles down at him and talks to him, he smiles back, then after a few seconds reaches his arms up towards her and says "Aa...ba?" Deslana covers her mouth and smothers a laugh, then says, "That sounds like a yes to me! Take a seat, Akierra. Let's see what he wants." Akierra cautiously sinks down to sit crosslegged on the floor. Arowan plops forward from his sitting position and crawls across to Akierra, looking up at her face. He clambers over her legs and up into her lap, and then into her arms. Once there, he pulls himself higher on her tunic, until he can bat and grab at her dangling bangs of dark red hair. "Ba...ba...ba!" "Ah-ha-ha-ah! He loves your red hair, child! Oh, I shouldn't call you that, I'm sorry. It's just that to me, practically the whole world is young. Ha-ha! Well, when Rowan loses interest in your lovely hair, he loves being tickled, and dangled in the air, too! You're making one friend really quickly in here!" "Shal, why don't you go down and get a bottle ready for Nita? Bring it back up in a warmer, there's a dear. She'll be awake any time now, especially with Kestrel coming back. We might as well be ready." Shalkai leaves the room with a smile, while Deslana slowly pushes herself up off the floor, and Akierra tussles with a giggling Arowan. Granny Des stretches and goes over to check on Nita, then takes a seat over in one of the padded rockers. "We've still got them outnumbered for a minute or three, Akierra. You were asking how long they sleep? Well, two or three hours between feedings when they're first born is normal. Nita is up to 4 or 5 hours at a time at night, so sometimes she'll only need one feeding during the night, Kal says. And Kestrel has been there for a while - just the one feeding. Rowan and Tania pretty much sleep through the night. During the day, naps are usually around an hour and a half. The older they get, the farther apart the naps are. They spend more time awake and playing, instead of sleeping and growing." Just then, the door opens again, and a blond half-elven woman with some wrinkles in her face comes in, a towel-wrapped baby carefully cradled in one arm. "Oh....Hello." "Kal, Rowan's new friend there is Akierra. She's a Sigil, and a friend of Shalkai's. She's going to be a mom pretty soon herself, and she doesn't have a mother of her own to show her mommy things, so Shalkai volunteered us! Many hands make light work, I always say. Akierra, meet Kalinaea, or just Auntie Kal as she likes to be called. Ha-ha! Oh, and I think Shal said something about her being a bard, too, so I bet she can sing a mean lullaby!" "Yessss! VERY pleased to meet you, then, Akierra!" says Kalinaea, as she proceeds to dress the squirming, naked little boy in her charge. "I may have 90 miles of patience, but little Kestrel here is 20 pounds of stubborn, and 200 pounds of sheer energy, as you'll soon find out. He's more work than any other two babes in here put together, even though he can barely crawl. Half-elven boys can grow so quick, and this one is just FULL of himself!" Kalinaea stops to tickle Kestrel furiously up on the dressing table, until he is giggling helplessly, then finishes dressing him and sits down besides Akierra. "We'll feed these two pretty soon, some porridge and mashed veggies, then the boys can take their afternoon nap. Nita should be up for a while, we'll read and sing to her, and let her cuddle with someone after she has her bottle. So, did Shalkai just dump you off into our tender clutches? Whoops! Remind me, I need to trim Kes' nails when he slows down a bit. Don't want him scratching anyone, or himself. Feel how sharp these little fingernails are, Akierra?"
Akierra		#7	[-]
Posts: 215 (02/18/09 4:34 AM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Akierra traces her fingertips over Kestrel's nails and nods. I had no idea they got that sharp being so... little. She looks around for some sort of writing materials. S... should I be... taking notes? Writing things down? There is so much I'm going to need to know, so much I'm going to see... What if I can't remember it all? What if I fail? Akierra quickly shakes her head and returns her attention to Arowan. Porridge and mashed veggies, yumm! She says with a playful giggle as she tickles the young child. After of few moments and laughs she looks back to Kalinaea. I wrote something to read to the children, well... I didn't... write it... It was a story my parents use to tell me, before... when I was young. It's about the pied piper of Freeport, which you may already be familiar with... Though... I'm not sure it would be suitable for the young ones.
Shalkai		#8	[-]
Posts: 1548 (02/18/09 2:32 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Writing things down?" asks Kalinaea, "Well, sure, if it will make you feel better. I know you bards aren't happy unless something is written down and then mailed to twelve friends all across the world!" she giggles. "Maybe you can put notes in a journal or something. Be sure to keep it up high, though. How about up on that shelf over there? Where are your things, anyway? Sarotar's office? All right, we'll get them in a little bit. Don't worry too much, though. You'll find that once you've done something, your memory will usually be able to find what you need. And always remember, a mother's best friend is good old common sense." Shalkai comes back in just then, carrying a covered tin pail. He sets it over on a cabinet in the corner. "One warm bottle for Nita, as requested. She's still sleeping, eh?" Kal waves up at Shalkai from the floor. "Hi, Shalkai - thanks. Next job! Go fetch Akierra's bags, please - she needs a couple things from them." Shalkai gives Kalinaea a nod, and heads right back out the door. Akierra gets a horrified look on her face and starts to sit up to protest, until Kalinaea waves a hand at her. "Pish. First thing to remember here is we all work together. He's not busy, and you are. Plus you don't know your way around. If you're going to work and learn here, we're gonna focus on work, which is taking care of these wonderful kids. I'm not going to waste time pampering to the sensitivities of some special honored guest, and worrying about every single word I say, all right? You don't worry about stuff like that either. Just be yourself, and we'll get along just fine." Akierra gives Kalinaea a tentative little smile, not quite sure how to take that. Kal gives her a wide smile in return. "Look - you saw how Shalkai did what I asked without a twitch, right? He works, just like the rest of us. He may be rich, and he may pay the wages of every single one of the rest of us, but he's not like a rich merchant that sits in his office counting his profits. Because the goal here isn't to make profits, its to raise kids. And I'll bet you before the day is done, you get to see Mister Moneybags Windchaser change a dirty diaper, right over there, because that's a part of raising kids. When we're all working together to deal with crying kids and dirty diapers every day, we're all pretty much equal, as you'll soon see, young woman. " Kalinaea pauses to pull Kestrel away from Arowan and his toy, and distracts Kestrel with something else. "We'll have to see how long Nita sleeps here. Its going to get busy in here pretty soon, with feeding her, then the boys. You can read your story to everyone after they've eaten...yes, that sounds good. Even Kestrel will usually sit still for a while when he has a full tummy. Maybe we can get you settled before she wakes? Where are you staying, anyway?"
Akierra		#9	[-]
Posts: 216 (02/18/09 6:44 PM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Akierra giggles quietly at the thought of Shalkai changing a dirty diaper. Staying?... I... Well I had thought of staying in an inn, but Shalkai said there should be room for me here. I don't want to impose though. She smiles with a slight shrug. But I would love to spend as much time as I can with the children, mess and all. I've never really been around young children much, unless you count myself when I was younger... But... I don't remember much from that time other then hugs and baths. She giggles. Do you ever find yourselves not knowing what to do? I mean... It's not always the same is it? Feed, change, sleep, bath, and... I imagine it can get quite stressful at times and I've been told so as well, how do you... deal with that? I mean... I know it wouldn't be wise to just up and start screaming, probably scare the poor little ones right out of their skin, but how do you resist that urge? and... Is it true that when one baby starts to cry, the others soon follow? and... What if the baby just doesn't stop crying? No matter what you try... just cries and cries... Looks slightly embarrassed and shakes her head. Sorry for the questions, I just really want to learn all I can.
Shalkai		#10	[-]
Posts: 1550 (02/19/09 5:21 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Oh, that's fine, dear. Ask away, and then we'll see how much you can get a chance to do while you're here. Yes, sometimes even Des and I can't comfort a babe, even after we've checked and tried everything. And we've raised near two-score babes between us." "It makes you feel a little helpless, which you are, but the trick is to not feel guilty. You just hold them and rock them, or sing to them, or rock them in their cradles, and just take care of them. Eventually they feel better. It can be cruel hard, like when you have a child with colic. Some doctors think babies with colic have stomach pains; others say it must be aches in their bones and muscles from growing. Whatever it is, none of them has a medicine for it. They'll cry for hours, every day, and there's nothing you can do but be there for them. Or they could be sick, or teething, or just plain fussy that night. Just tell yourself that you're doing everything you can, and you always will for your little one, and that's the answer. You can't always stop the crying, but you can always be there for your babies, whether they're crying or not." "As far as what you do, its the same kind of thing, and you try to keep a schedule, but every day is a little different. Princess Nita over there usually doesn't sleep this long, for example, and the boys are getting hungry. You're about to see it get pretty hectic in here when three little tummies decide they're all hungry at once!" "Akierra, if you really want to learn what being a mom is like, you can just stick with me as much as you like. I spend about half the day in here, and all night - I sleep over there in between feedings and changings and everything else. Now, that's probably a bit much, but you should at least stay on this floor. The room next to mine is empty, or you can sleep in my room. If you stay with me, you'll have a private washcloset, and I'm only in there like 6 hours a day anyway. Plus, when I am there, I can whisper to you about all the deep dark secrets of Kelethin and the Redwood Orphanage!" Deslana snorts and rolls her eyes at that. "Oh, pish, Des! You woodelves act like everything is daisies and sunbeams everywhere!" teases Kalinaea. "Yeeeah, right..." smiles back the old woman in the rocker. Just then, whimpers and movement from the crib announce the end of Nita's nap. Deslana stops her rocking and pushes herself up out of the chair. "Ah, time to get busy. Akierra, why don't you leave Rowan there with Auntie Kal? It's learning time. Come help me change Nita, then I'll show you how to feed her. We've got these wonderful gnomish cups which make feeding babies easy, though still not as easy as nursing, of course."
Akierra		#11	[-]
Posts: 217 (02/20/09 7:12 AM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	S...stay with you? I... I really don't want to impose. I mean well it's your room and I wouldn't want to get in the way, or be any trouble. If you think.. its best and really don't mind I s'pose I could. I really would like to... experience everything I can. As far as deep dark secrets go, I think I would much rather enjoy hearing a story or two about the orphanage, or perhaps even some of Kelethin's history. Akierra smiles and turns her attention to the nearby crib at the sound of movement. She nods at Deslana and scoots Arowan towards Kalinaea before getting to her feet and joining Des at Nita's crib. Already? I just barely got comfortable. She giggles as she pushes the sleeves of her tunic up around her elbows. What would you like me to do first? She stands by quietly awaiting directions, with a smile and eager to learn.
Shalkai		#12	[-]
Posts: 1551 (02/23/09 7:31 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Well, why don't you try staying with me, then?" says Kalinaea. "If it turns out to be a bit overwhelming, we can always find another room for you. I'd love to share stories with you when we can, though." Deslana carries the fussing baby over to the changing table, and asks how experienced Akierra is with diapers. When Akierra says she really doesn't know that much about it, Deslana just smiles and starts to explain everything as she takes care of Nita, going a little slower than usual as she explains everything. Then they go over to the tin pail, Akierra carrying a still fussy Nita. Deslana explains how they have towels inside, which hold in heat or cold, so these "warming buckets" are used to carry food and drinks away from a kitchen. She explains that with a hot stone or a piece of ice in the bottom, they'll keep something warm or cool for almost an hour once it has been prepared. Then Deslana shows Akierra the milk cup inside. "Again, tin. Gnomes like it, and I can't argue. Easy to clean, not heavy, sturdy, doesn't break when you drop it. The top screws on, as you see. The really neat gnomish trick is this round brown nub. There's a tiny hole in the end, and babies can suck milk almost like they were at their mother's breast. I don't know what its made of, but it works better than wadding up a piece of rag and using it to dribble out the milk, which is what most peoples do. Now, we see if it's warm enough - just holding the cup should tell you, it should feel warm. But dribble a few drops on your wrist. Babies want it warm. Too hot, and it might burn their little mouths, too cold and they might not drink it." "All right, Akierra. You get to do the fun job! Pick a rocker and have a seat with Nita. See how she's looking at the cup, too? She knows what this is. OK, sit her up a little more, and lean her back into your shoulder....there. Now just hold her there with your left arm, and hold this cup up for her with your right hand. She'll want to hold it too, but she can't keep it there herself yet. Tilt it up a little more...perfect. See? That stopped her fussing. Let her drink for four or five minutes, then she'll slow down." Des drapes a towel over Akierra's shoulder. "That's for any dribbles, and put her there when you pat her back and try to burp her after five minutes or so. You can rock a little in the chair while she's feeding, but no big rocking. We don't want to slosh the milk around too much, now!" Shalkai comes in with Akierra's bags. Kalinaea stands up, smiles at him, and says, "Good, good! I'll take those, boss. Des, Shal, keep an eye on the boys and their toys. I'm going to drop these bags off, then get lunch for these two and bring it up. That's more of a feeding challenge, Akierra - trying to get solid, well mushy, food into a baby less than a year old is, heh, fun. We've just started with Kestrel, but he just has to do everything Arowan does, so Kest gets fed too. Even though he ends up wearing more than he swallows. You do have a ton of patience, right, Akierra?" Arowan starts to cry when Kestrel grabs at his rattle, so Shalkai picks up Arowan, takes him over to another part of the room, and starts playing with a stuffed rabbit in front of him. Kalinaea just grins and heads off, shutting the door behind her. Deslana goes over to Kestrel, discovers he needs changing, and proceeds about that while coaching Akierra through feeding Nita. About fifteen minutes later, Kalinaea comes back in with another warming pail and sets it up on a shelf. She then hands Akierra a small iron key. "Here you go, my spare key. Your bags are in on your bed, the room is the first door on the left as you come up the stairs to our floor. There's only two locked doors here, so you can always just try each one if you forget. Well, it looks like you have Miss Nita happy....good! Just sit there and hold her, try to burp her again about twice more, and watch as we feed the boys. After that, you can go get your story, and read it to us all." Akierra and Nita watch as both boys are put into large bibs, then fed. Kestrel gets a small bowl of mashed squash, which Deslana slowly feeds to him, bite by bite, while holding him in her lap. Rowan is put into a small chair and tucked in with a towel, and a table is put in front of him. Kalinaea then feeds squash and applesauce. The whole process takes much longer than Akierra thought it would, after seeing the tiny size of the bowls. Nita rests happily in Akierra's arms after being fed, mostly content to look around at all the people, while Akierra rocks and hums a little tune. After feeding the boys is done, Shalkai is sent off with a basket full of dirty diapers, bibs, rags, towels, and everything else that has collected since morning-time. Kalinaea looks over from where she's changing Arowan into a clean tunic, and smiles at Akierra. "Messy, isn't it?"
Akierra		#13	[-]
Posts: 219 (02/23/09 8:38 PM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Patients.....? Does she really have enough to pull this off. The question lingers in the back of her mind as she continues to follow the instructions explained to her. She finishes feeding the the little one and burps her a few more times, before setting her down in her lap. Akierra can't help but give her a gentle hug. Nita seems content in the bards arms and she is just as content holding her and she smiles. A small part of the bard thinks she might actually enjoy being mother. For a moment she finds herself almost daydreaming, but her attention is quickly pulled back as Kalinaea speaks. Akierra nods with a quiet giggle in response. It certainly looks that way. Good thing they are so small, makes the mess easier to clean. She giggles once more. I don't need to get the story, I'm pretty sure I got it all up here. She smiles and taps at her head. I didn't bring any of my instruments though and I just learned a neat song that would certainly add to the story. Do you think Shal has a spare flute laying around someplace?
Shalkai		#14	[-]
Posts: 1552 (02/23/09 9:30 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Flute? Sure. I'll be right back." says Shalkai. He leaves, and returns a few minutes later with a flute for Akierra. Only a minute after he enters, another woman comes in, carrying a toddler in her arms. "A little clockwork has run out of steam!" she announces, then places the little girl down on the small child's bed, and leaves with some quiet goodbyes. The toddler looks around with a sleepy, pouty face, say "mm tired", then lays down in her bed. Kalinaea goes over to tuck her in. "Ah, this is Jistania, or just Tani for short. Here, baby, let me get this blanket over you. She's getting close to two, so she spends a few hours each day with the big kids playing with all the good toys downstairs" Tani, who was already half asleep, suddenly sits up and yells, "Bear! Where Bear? I wan Bear!" then starts to cry. This sets off a hurried search, made slower when Arowan starts to cry in sympathy and Shalkai has to pick him up. Kalinaea finally spots the stuffed bear in question, accidently kicked under the bed somehow, and crawls under to get it. Tani settles down to sniffles once she has her bear, and Kalinaea rubs her back for a minute to soothe her after tucking her in once more. Then Kal grabs Kestrel and settles on the couch, with a small blanket to cover them. "Des, why don't you sit with Rowan in the other rocker? Shalkai, are you staying? Fine, then, you can have that end of the couch. All right, Akierra, let's have your story. Since its a kid's story, you get one point for child you keep interested, or better yet, put to sleep. You'll probably put me to sleep, too, because it's almost MY naptime! No points for that, though, just the kids." Kalinaea looks around the room at Tani in her bed, and the babies snuggled in laps, then gives Akierra a reassuring smile.
Akierra		#15	[-]
Posts: 220 (02/27/09 7:59 PM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Akierra gives the room a smile and places the flute to her lips. She blows softly through a few notes as she familiarizes herself with the instrument. The bard takes in a deep breath and begins to tap her foot on the floor as she plays a somewhat slow, but catchy tune. After a moment once she is sure she has the rhythm and pace right, she lowers the flute and begins to recite the story. Freeport Town in Antonica, A famous port city; The ocean, deep and wide, Washes its wall on the eastern side; A pleasanter spot you never spied; But, when begins my ditty, Almost five hundred years ago, To see the townsfolk suffer so From vermin, was a pity. She pauses a moment taking a breath, then lifts the flute her lips and begins to play a few chords. Once again she lowers the flute and continues to tell the tale. Rats! They fought the dogs and killed the cats, And bit the babies in the cradles, And ate the cheeses out of the vats, And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles, Split open the kegs of salted sprats, Made nests inside men's adventure hats, And even spoiled the women's chats By drowning their speaking With shrieking and squeaking In fifty different sharps and flats. Akierra lifts the flute again and begins to play a different tune. Suddenly at her feet a pack of rats seem to appear from nowhere and scurry about the room. But when the bard lowers the flute and begins speaking, the rats vanish just as quick as they came. At last the people in a body To the Town Hall came flocking: " 'T is clear," cried they, "our Mayor's a noddy; And as for our Militia - shocking To think we buy gowns lined with ermine For dolts that can't or won't determine What's best to rid us of our vermin! You hope, because you're old and obese, To find in the furry civic robe ease? Rouse up, sirs! Give your brains a racking To find the remedy we're lacking, Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing!" At this the Mayor and Corporation, Quaked with a mighty consternation. Bringing the flute to her lips once more, she plays a slower, softer tune. After a few minutes of playing, she pauses and looks around the room, her eyes fall on each of the now sleeping children, all snuggled tightly in their beds, all except for Nita. The bard looks to Kalinaea for some kind of direction, unsure if she should continue or stop with her tale. Last Edited By: Akierra 02/27/09 8:02 PM. Edited 1 times.
Shalkai		#16	[-]
Posts: 1554 (02/27/09 9:23 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Deslana grins, and leans over slightly to give Kalinaea a nudge. Kalinaea's nodding head comes up with a start, and she blinks a few times and yawns. Then Kal says, "You have a wonderful voice, Akierra! And the rhythm in your poetry...wonderful. Wow - you even put Kestrel to sleep." Kalinaea looks around as she yawns again. "Well! One happy as a clam, and three zonks. You get the Nursery Gold Seal of approval. Quiet time now, I suppose. Des, let's get the boys put down, then I'm going to my room for a little nap." The two little boys are put into their cribs, then Kalinaea turns back to Akierra. "Akierra, I'm going to catch a nap before dinner time and Deslana going home. You can do whatever you'd like - this is the afternoon slow time. You can come unpack your things and take a snooze too if you're tired, or have Shalkai show you around a bit more, or just stay sitting right there rocking Nita if that's what you feel like." Shalkai turns to Akierra and shrugs, "Whatever you feel like. If you don't want more Grand Tour today, I'll probably go visit with Sarotar for an hour or two, then wander back up. If you want to just stay up here, I'll bring you up a dinner plate later."
Akierra		#17	[-]
Posts: 222 (03/05/09 6:02 AM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Akierra leans forward in her seat and gives the room an awkward bow as she cradles Nita in her arm. I think I'll... hmm.... She pauses a moment to consider her options. A rest might be nice... Or perhaps a walk around town... Work on the newest project, maybe...? The bards eyes glance around the room many times before coming to rest on the baby in her arms and she smiles. I think I'll stay right here if that's alright. She had never held a baby before, yet something about it felt natural to her... She can hear the others talking, but for some reason she cannot hear what they are saying. Akierra's eyes remain fixated on the little one for some time and she finds herself wondering how something so small can make her feel so calm. When she finally does take her gaze away, she glances around the room and realizes she is alone with the children. Despite them all being asleep, all but Nita, a slight worry grows within the bard. Her eyes dart around the room and her breath becomes slightly panicked. They won't be gone long... She tells herself in an attempt to calm down, though she doesn't believe it herself. Nita begins to fuss as she senses the bards feeling of unease and Akierra quickly looks back to the baby. No... no no no... She can't cry, she'll wake up the others... Then what? What do I do? Think... Feed 'em, Clean 'em.... What else? Sleep? No... she just woke up, she just ate, she was just cleaned... Play with 'em! .....play what? How does one... play with a baby? A strange sense of deja vu lingers in in the bards mind and it hits her. They began to prepair for docking and Shalkai never did answer that question... Akierra shifts in the chair and brings her feet up to sit cross legged, she turns Nita slightly and cradles the young ones head in her hands, as her body lays along the bards forearms. Resting her elbows on her on her legs, Akierra looks down at Nita and smiles. I'm not sure what to do here little one... I don't know any games we could play together. Nita's fussing slows and she watches the bard intently. Akierra relaxes with another smile and continues to talk with Nita. Hello there Nita and how are you little one? Nita coos quietly and Akierra can't help but grin. They discuss what Nita might do when she is older and Akierra tells her about some of her favorite games. The two babble back and forth, for what seems like hours. Akierra with her words and Nita with a few simple goos and gaas. Eventually Nita begins to rub at her eyes and she lets out a quiet yawn. Shifting Nita in her arms once more, Akierra rests the little ones head on her shoulder and hugs her. The bard begins to hum quietly and slowly begins to rock the baby to sleep. Once Nita is asleep, Akierra lets out a content sigh and closes her eyes to relax.
Shalkai		#18	[-]
Posts: 1562 (03/09/09 6:38 PM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Grey-haired Deslana comes quietly back in after a trip down to the kitchen, taking down dirty dishes and bringing up juice and milk for the evening, and smiles when she finds Nita and Akierra cooing to each other. Des quietly fills the icebox in the corner, sets out some diapers and clothes for when the bigger kids wake up, and picks up the room. Finally, she sits and starts to knit a tiny sweater as Akierra keeps talking at the little baby girl. The afternoon light slowly starts to fade as first Nita, then Akierra drift away into quiet dreams and the room grows silent. After about ten minutes, Des puts down her knitting and stands up a little stiffly. She walks over to Akierra's rocker and reaches down to pick up Nita, then stops herself. "Ah, Nita" she whispers, "I should move you to your crib, but its too seldom any orphan gets to sleep in a woman's arms. Enjoy, little one, and dream of your mother, while you, young woman, dream of that little one soon to come." Deslana resumes her seat and her knitting, and nearly a half hour passes before Arowan bestirs himself and starts to fuss. He is changed, and moved to the couch next to Des with a stuffed rabbit, when Kalinaea quietly opens the door and enters a few minutes later, munching an apple. Rowan is moved to a blanket on the floor with his toy, then Des puts away her knitting, and whispers, "Perfect timing. Rowan should be ready for some juice any time, and the other two won't be far behind. Nita and our lovely helper have been dozing for the better part of an hour. Icebox is stocked, so you should be set. Need anything else before I go, Kal?" Kalinaea just shakes her head and smiles, and gives Deslana a quick hug as she heads out the door. Then Kalinaea finishes her apple quickly, and starts into the evening bustle. Arowan is given a juice bottle and put back to play in a play pen, then Jistania and Kestrel get their evening changes and snacks as they wake up in rapid succession. Akierra wakes up during the middle of that, as Kestrel gets quite loud during his changing, and watches Kalinaea deal competently with several kids seemingly at once. Kal notices Akierra's gaze as she zips around and smiles over at her. "There's a couple of tricks to making it all look this easy. One is preparation. Just about everything is right here, stacks of things, where I don't have to take more than two steps to get anything from a bottle to a burp rag. Another trick is doing the quick things first. And last, if you have a little one that's upset, hold em whenever you can and do whatever your doing with one hand. They'll still be upset, but they know YOU know about it so they won't get madder, no matter how little they are." Shalkai comes in a bit later to view the organized chaos. He departs with a basket of dirty clothes and some dinner orders for Akierra and Kal. Nita finally wakes up, crankier than normal after an extra-long nap, and Kalinaea guides Akierra through changing her, then shows how they use a little lantern heater to warm bottles up in the nursery at night. Akierra feeds Nita, then gets a chance to eat a large dinner herself as Shalkai brings up some trays and allows the two women a quick break. Soon, everyone is singing nursery rhymes as darkness settles over Kelethin. One by one, the children drift off to sleep again, and Shalkai departs to tell some more stories to the older kids downstairs. Akierra stays in the nursery with Kal for a while, wrapped up in blankets on the couch, waking every few hours as one babe or another wakes and needs something. Akierra gets a chance to do a middle of the night feeding for Nita, then Kalinaea sends her off to a real bed for a half-night of uninterrupted sleep. Akierra tries to protest, but loses, since Kal insists that a traveler get SOME real sleep after several days of journeying. Next morning, Akierra awakes shortly after sunrise, when the older girls start giggling and talking and getting ready for the day. She stays under the covers for a few minutes, thinking of all she's learned and all she still wants to ask about, when Kalinaea quietly comes in. "Good morning there, Mommy Bard! A couple of people are looking for you, but I told them they'll have to wait a bit. Nita wants the nice lady with the nice voice again, but I told her Mommy Bard has to get a good breakfast and a bath first. Shalkai will be back up in 15 minutes or so, and he'll take you down to the dining room for that breakfast I just mentioned. You can have a nice long bath after that, because all the girls will be downstairs. Deslana and her helpers have everything taken care of in the nursery for a bit, so it's breakfast and bath for you, and another nap for me." "So, what do you think after the first taste? Tough, but not impossible?" Kalinaea grins at Akierra.
Akierra		#19	[-]
Posts: 228 (03/13/09 7:31 PM) Sigil of the Unsparing Companion Order of the Wayfarers Ambassador Emeritus Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Akierra looks up to Kalinaea with a lazy smile and rubs the sleep free from the corners of her eyes. Pushing the blankets aside, the bard sits up with a stretch. Morning already? She says with a giggle. Throwing her legs over the side of the bed, Akierra quickly gets to her feet and stretches once again. I think... I still have so much more to learn. You're right though, not impossible... Or is it? She shakes her head and quickly dismisses such thoughts. A quiet grumbling sound can be hear coming from her stomach and she decides she should probably have a quick bite to eat. Breakfast and a bath sounds good. I have to run down to the Songweavers after if thats alright. I have something I forgot to drop off before I left. I really should get sent and out of the way, so it's one less thing to worry about. While she waits for Shalkai to return, Akierra pulls a change of clothes out from one of her bag as well as a small wooden box. She switches a few things around between her bags and empties one completely. She places the box, a few personal items and the change of clothes into the newly emptied bag and swings it over her shoulder. A moment later Shalkai returns and she greets him with a nod and a smile.
Shalkai		#20	[-]
Posts: 1565 (03/15/09 4:59 AM) Chancellor The Courageous Lord Sigil of the Hearth Order of the Wayfarers Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"Good morning there, Companion!" says Shalkai, after he knocks and Kalinaea lets him in. "And to you too, Kal! Are you ready for some breakfast, Akierra? Good! So, how'd your night go?..." Akierra fills him in on her night in the nursery, and asks a few more questions, as they make thier way down three floors, all the way to the bottom of the orphanage. They enter the dining hall, to a chorus of greetings, and Shalkai gives a general introduction of Akierra as a fellow Sigil, visitor, and volunteer, to everyone present. Then he escorts her over to a table and introduces her to two young men, both teachers at the school. One is Richatolan, a half-elf, and the other is Preldonit, a very young wood-elf. After the introductions and a few sips of coffee, Shalkai leads Akierra over to the buffet table, where they both load up plates of plain but good food, finding themselves still very hungry after the travels of the last few days. Akierra spends most of the meal quizzing the two teachers, asking them lots of questions about their jobs, the kinds of things they teach, their pasts, and many other things. As the dining room clears out, the two teachers excuse themselves, and head off to their classrooms. Shalkai and Akierra discuss the day ahead, and he hears about her need to visit the Songweavers later, which isn't far away. Shalkai tells of his own plans for the day, which are rather loose. He intends to spend a little time in the nursery, during the busy late morning and late afternoon periods, but not his whole day there, as Akierra seemed to be getting along just fine. Shalkai lets her know he'll be spending most of his time on the bottom floor, helping Sarotar and in the kitchens, if she has any questions or wants a more detailed tour of the other floors. After that, they part ways, Shalkai into the kitchens to help deal with the breakfast dishes, and Akierra upstairs again to a hot bath. The top floor is very quiet now, with no one there except Kalinaea napping in her room, and Deslana with a helper in the nursery. Akierra sticks her head into the nursery to let Des know she's back from breakfast, and smiles at the sights and sounds of the nursery in the morning light. Deslana steps out of the nursery for a minute, holding Kestrel, and walks with Akierra to the bathroom next door to make sure she knows where everything is, then leaves her alone. Akierra looks around the large bathroom, as big as one of the bedrooms, and filled with enough fixtures to let a whole room full of girls use it at the same time. The tub is quite large, and she smiles at the thought of being able to stretch out and soak in it. As the tub fills with water, Akierra idly wonders how much it costs to get gnomish copper plumbing installed this high in a treehouse, then decides she really doesn't want to know. She'll just enjoy it for a while, and then get on with the rest of her plans for the day.