Holidaying With Family

[calair.livejournal.com]

According to my parents, my sibling-to-be was conceived two days after the winter solstice, at around eleven thirty pm after they had come home from a dinner party in what at the time was one of the more fashionable mansions in Delros and is now a fire-gutted ruin. Cannot but wonder if this is some form of cosmic justice. There were more details, but I am merciful, and will not share them even though I bloody well had to sit through it all nodding and making "that's nice" noises. Argh.

A great deal about how things are 'going to be different' once the baby arrives, and how my parents will no longer be able to support me like they have been... excuse me? 'Supporting me'? Have not received any financial aid from them for some decades now; about all I can think of is their generosity in letting me stay with them, something I would v. happily give up. But as we know, it's not really about that; it's code for "You owe us". Suspect their intention is to co-opt me for babysitting duties as needed; no doubt I will be blamed for however the poor thing turns out. Or, if I manage to absent myself for the entire process, my absence will be blamed instead. Not that I would do that; no matter how aggravating the situation might be, somebody will have to make sure the kid's education is well-rounded. And unlike myself, Second Cousin Velurana - the only other likely candidate - is still in my parents' good graces, and there seems no point in imperilling that.

Also, I am not to stress my mother (trans: 'disagree with her in any way') while she is pregnant. So, I have come up with a plan...

It seems the threats to Delros have been averted for now (more on that in an upcoming instalment), and my travelling companions have opted for a break from travelling for a month or two while the city is rebuilt and repopulated. Several of them have expressed an interest in (highly lucrative) commissions from me - I will be improving on an amulet I made for Pip, and an assortment of armour and weaponry for Maria - so I can certainly find something to do with the time; it being spring, it will also be a good chance to see if I can cultivate the moon-ivy I brought home from the east.

So I have offered to house-sit for my parents in Delros and make sure the repairs and renovations are carried out according to their wishes; while I'm there, I might see if I can do something about the YAWNING HOLE TO THE UNDERCITY IN THEIR GARDEN, since I suspect mere description has not quite conveyed to them the magnitude of this and they will be unhappy if it's there when they return. In this way, I hope to fulfil my filial duties and earn a few weeks' good favour... which should give me a pretty good head start when we leave again.