[Hopetoun] Cos maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me.

[Vega]

37th Trial of Ashan during Arc 721

"Delroth's Doo-Dad, but it's cold, innit?" Vega wrapped the blanket around Wren as they sat together. "You haven't got a blanket," Wren said and then added, "not around your shoulders." Vega smiled at him. "No, I know. But that's because my Immortal father cursed me when I punched him in the gob. So, I'm always warm." She took his hand and held it against her forehead. "See?" He nodded. "Now, it sucks in summer," and this summer would be worse, because she'd be heavily pregnant. But she wasn't giving old Ash-Face the pleasure of thinking about that. "But how stupid does he look in winter? I get to stay warm when no one else is." Of course, that wasn't true really, or certainly not the whole truth, but Vega didn't want to give Wren more to worry about. "So, come on, drink up an' then lets take our plates back an' say thanks to Serena."

Looking at her, Wren asked quietly. "Why don't you ever cook, Vega? Don't you like to?"

Vega chuckled. "Nah, I like you too much for me to be cookin'." Her expression was amused, but also serious. "Though, you know, I'm better at it than I think. But Arlo's cookin' is amazin'," Wren nodded in agreement. Arlo's food was superb. "An' so I never really needed to." Shrugging slightly, she admitted. "An' I always feel like I'm messin' with his things, you know? Like, the pots an' pans an' stuff? There was this one time I cleaned a pan an' oh my god you'd think I skinned his kitten. Apparently, I used the wrong stuff on it an' I messed it up. I dunno. It's somethin' that he's a bit precious about."

Standing up, she walked over with Wren to where they could put their plates back. Communal eating was a good thing, and Serena the cook for Hopetoun smiled at them both. "I'm jus' remindin' Wren not to go messin' with Arlo's pots an' pans," she said and Serena smiled at Wren. "I agree," she said to the boy. "I have a way of doing things, I like them a certain way. Don't touch my cooking things."

"Thanks, Serena, it were well lovely," Vega said and Wren repeated her thanks. "I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you." Serena waved to them both as they left. "See, Wren?" Vega said with a grin, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. "Now, come on then an' lets go get goin'. I told you they were doolally, didn't I?" Wren nodded. "Doolally chefs." Vega chortled.

"You've got it. So, I want to check on the beacon to-trial. You with me?" He nodded and she pulled on her rainbow-striped hat with the pom-pom and the ear flaps which tied under her chin. "Good oh. Let's get goin'."

[Vega]

37th Trial of Ashan during Arc 721

It was not even a full break later that they got back. Vega never stopped feeling warm, and ran at an almost-fever constantly, but even she had to admit that it was cold. "That'd freeze the warm crevices in a hairy beast, that would," she said, and Wren glanced at her. Vega's strange turn of phrase notwithstanding, he nodded. In truth, Vega could stay out there longer, but Wren was cold and she didn't want the boy to suffer at all. So, she came back to the cooking area, and she spoke to Serena. "Hey," she said, with a smile. "Can we both have a warm drink, please, an' then I'm goin' to go an' get some wood chopped. Can Wren stay here with you?" Serena nodded. "Are you alright?" Vega grinned. "Yeah, I'm doin' fine, but it's well cold an' he's so little. I want to make sure he's well, you know?" Serena understood that entirely, so Vega made her way back to where Wren was sitting and she put down two steaming mugs. "There you go, Little Bird, get your laughin' gear around that." He did indeed hold the mug and cradle it in his hands.

Vega had made sure that Wren was warm and well wrapped-up - she didn't let him out of the camp unless he was warm and wearing a hat, scarf, gloves and a coat. Anything he hadn't had when he got there, she'd made for him, and she was unmoving in her insistence that the young boy was cared for. She made sure that he had layers of clothes on him - because frostbite was no joke - and basically, she fussed. Wren didn't mind her fussing - Vega got the feeling that there was as much a part of him which liked feeling so cared for as there was a part which cringed.

He was unwrapping his scarf and Vega nodded to him, indicating what he was doing. "See, layers. In the cold, or in the heat, layers are your friend. One big warm wooly cardigan is great, but if it gets wet or the place you're in gets hotter, that cardigan is an on or off sort of thing. An' that doesn't give you options. Layers give you options." Wren nodded, solemnly. "I know they do," he said and Vega chuckled. "Cos I've told you about it half a dozen times or more, I know." A ghost of an almost-smile flickered on Wren's face and Vega carried on like she hadn't seen it. "Vega?" Wren asked and Vega looked at him calmly, waiting to hear. "Can we stay and help Serena? She seems busy." Glancing over at where Serena did - indeed - look rather rushed, Vega nodded. "That's well kind of you," she said. "We'll do that. It's a good idea." Then she nodded to his hot drink. "Come on, then, drink up an' we'll get goin' an' see what we can do, eh?"

"How will we know what to do?" Wren asked, sipping his drink earnestly.

"We'll ask Serena, an' we'll go from there. Do what she asks us to do an' assume she knows what she needs best. That work?" He nodded. "That works"

Wren put down his cup with a serious expression and Vega did the same. Then, the pair got up and went to see how they could help.

[Vega]

37th Trial of Ashan during Arc 721
~Some Breaks Later ~

"So, then Little Bird," Vega said as she sat by the side of Wren's bed, "What did you enjoy about to-trial?"

He was warm and sleep would soon overtake him, Vega knew. She tried to make sure that he went to bed with positive, happy thoughts - in her mind that would help him rest, help him sleep well. "I enjoyed the drinks we had in the warm," he said thoughtfully. "And I liked helping Serena." Vega nodded, stroking his hair gently. She could see how heavy his lids were, hear the thickness of sleep beginning in his voice. "An' what did you learn from Serena?" Vega asked that as he snuggled down a little more, and half-asleep he answered. "I have to be careful in kitchens," he said and Vega knew that he was giving her a list so she listened and waited. "And chefs have pans and pots that they like. And onions make you cry." Vega grinned at that. "An' did you learn anythin' about cookin'?" Wren nodded sleepily. "I learned how to boil potatoes and eggs in water and how to cut up potatoes so they boil evenly."

He was nearly asleep yet, this ritual between the two of them had become important to them both, Vega knew. "An' how do you do that, little bird?"

For a moment, she thought he was asleep, but then Wren mumbled an answer. "They've got to be the same size, Vega. Then they cook the same time."

Vega nodded. "That's right, that is." Mumbling his question, he asked her. "What did you enjoy about to-trial, Vega?"

She thought about it, then she smiled and looked down at him. Her hand stroked his hair and she knew that he was already asleep, but fighting to stay awake at the same time. "I enjoyed this bit, Little Bird," she whispered. "Jus' the two of us talkin' about what a nice day we had together." He nodded. "Me too," he said and Vega felt emotion threaten to overwhelm her. But she kept talking because he liked it when she talked him to sleep. "An' I liked the look on your face when we was talkin' about layers on your clothes, an' when you said that you wanted to help Serena with the cookin'? Oh, I were right proud of you for the kindness you have in your heart." He let out a soft breath and Vega knew that Wren was sleeping, peacefully.

Leaning forward, she kissed him on the temple. "Goodnight, Little Bird," she whispered. "Dream of wonder an' delights, of happiness an' adventure. Know that you're loved, Little Bird."

And, so saying, she got up and left. She closed the tent flap and moved into the camp where she sat down and got on with the evening.

[Pig Boy]

Player Name: Vega

Points awarded: 10 xp
Magic xp: none

Knowledge: None requested.

Renown: 0
Loot: none
Injuries/Overstepping: None
Wealth Points: None

Skill Review: All Skills used appropriately to PC's level

Notes: Ahh heck, Vega and Wren destroy me. But really this was a nice slice of life and demonstrated what the typical day of Wren's guardianship with Vega looks like. She's so good with kids, but you'd expect nothing else from the Mortalborn of Children.

I never really gave much thought to how uncomfortable Faldrun's curse must be, even in Winter. Although she's not exactly overheating, it's like she's got a fever during the cold weather. Not a great combination.

I really enjoyed the ending of this, how she talked Wren to sleep about all the things they liked about their day. Wren is such a sweet kid, asking Vega how her day went. Not all children are so considerate. He really is a dear, and so is Vega.

I'd love to see more slice of life threads with Vega, This was a very easy read, and I can't leave it without awarding a medal:

Right in the feels, cuz this was a bit of a tear-jerker for me. Or I would, if you didn't already have it... Ah well.


If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this review, feel free to PM. Enjoy your rewards!