Family Matters

[Faith Augustin]

10th Ymiden, 717

They had an evening together, which was rare. He was due home within the next break, although she knew that sometimes he got delayed in work. Still, Faith couldn't deny it, she was excited at the prospect of spending an evening of quiet together. Somehow, since arriving on Scalvoris, their feet hadn't touched the floor and with their wedding in Vhalar, there were plans and discussions to have. They did it their own way though, as they always would. They both had the trial off work tomorrow and they had agreed that they would make the box for their engagement. One box, not two, although it had two parts to it and they would make it together.

Faith was looking forward to that, to the making of the box and what it represented; but also there was the joy of knowing that it was the only thing they had to do the next trial. It was a simple thing, but their lives were busy in the extreme and actually the idea of having an evening to themselves and then a whole trial? It sounded beyond delightful to the young woman.

Since they had some time, Faith was determined that it wasn't going to be wasted on shopping or any such. So, she had stocked up on food and there was a meal in preparation which she knew he would like. Peppers stuffed with spiced vegetables as a starter, served with onion bread cut into thins and toasted until crispy with a cooling mint yogurt dressing on the side. Then, for main course it was chicken risotto, which she had prepared twice as much as she needed to, as tomorrow she planned to make deep fried arancini rice balls. Finally, since that was three times as much as she would normally eat anyhow, they had a fruit salad for dessert. She'd bought the fruit but not yet diced it and again, that meant she had more than she needed but she had plans to make dried fruit in the oven overnight. She would serve that with the lemon and honey glaze she made in work and sprinkle it with crumbed home made biscuits. That was all as prepared as she could make it, ready to go and she was pleased at the smells which emanated from the kitchen in their home.

Alongside taking care with what they were eating, Faith had made sure that she'd made an extra effort with how she looked. She purposely chose the red knee-length skirt that she knew Padraig liked, which she pulled over a white lace petticoat. Then, she'd donned a white blouse, which she tucked into the waistband and pulled a light red lace shawl over her shoulders, which she held in place with the fernstone brooch which she always wore.

As she applied a tiny touch of eyeshadow to accentuate her eyes, Faith looked at herself in the mirror and smiled slightly. Her hair was loose, brushed until it shone and just held back from her face with a red ribbon. Maybe, she considered, she should have gone with victory curls and a pair of high heels. The grin on her face as she thought that turned into a look of surprise as she heard the dog letting out a bark a few trill before there came a knock on the door.

"Well, who's that, Quattro?" Faith wondered aloud to the small, four tailed cat as she stood. Making her way to the door, she turned and spoke to Cosmo with a clear voice. "Sit. Wait. Good boy." When the dog was under control, Faith opened the door and saw that there was a man there. He was tall, but weren't they all, and she looked up at him and smiled. "Good trial. Can I help you?" Her demeanor was friendly and her smile genuine as she looked at him, gazing up at his eyes.

"Oh." Faith said, realising suddenly which eyes she was gazing at. There was no doubting it, Padraig looked like his grandfather. "Mister Augustin? I... please, come in. Are you? I mean. Umm, well. Padraig isn't here. I.. " Faith felt completely flustered but then, arcs of training kicked in. "Would you like something to drink? Please, sit down." What should she do or say? Her mind reeled and she realised that she was inviting him in whilst she stood in the doorway, blocking him so she moved. "Padraig is at work, I'm afraid. Please, make yourself comfortable. I.. I'm Faith." Had he told his grandfather her name, she wondered? Why oh why hadn't she read the letter he sent? Had he sent a wedding invitation? She thought so, which meant the man must know there was a wedding. Did he know she lived here too? Breathing in and looking as calm as she could manage, she smiled. "Welcome."

Off Topic

The stuff she's making uses fairly straightforward ingredients, I'm utilising her cooking skill more than fine ingredients, but just in case and because she's making an effort etc, I've deducted 10gn for ingredients. Please let me know if you think it should be more

[Padraig]

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Cyrus Augustin was very tall, and the woman in front of him was very short. Uncommonly short, looking down from the older man's perspective. He hadn't expected that, but if he was surprised there wasn't a trace of it written across his tanned weathered face or reflected in familiar dark eyes. Framed by crow's feet as they were.

If asked, Padraig would claim that his grandfather had long ago perfected a countenance, one piercing, thoughtful, judging and all seeing at once, that was at the same time indecipherable. There were times he'd feared that look growing up.

The man looked as if he was sizing Faith up, taking an account and not just of her physical height, all before he'd spoken a single word. "You're Faith, I guess." A baritone voice, deeper and slower moving than Padraig's, as weathered as his complexion. And the way he said it might have brought to mind the some of the first words the younger Augustin had uttered once he'd laid eyes on her. 'You're a slave.' Except that Cyrus did it better.

Whatever he'd decided to make of her remained a mystery as he added, "That's me. You can call me Cyrus. I don't guess he knew I was coming," he added as he accepted her invitation to come in. He had several bags with him too, but left them on the doorstep as he came into the house. "Whiskey, two fingers if you have it," he said as he accepted a seat on the couch and even managed what might be construed as a smile. "Thank you...Faith," he said.

And while she fussed, the older man took a good look around him. "It's a nice house you have here. Padraig said in his letter that you were a healer..." he trailed off before noticing Quattro, who'd come out from under the couch and was winding her way through his feet. He'd never seen such a thing. A four tailed cat that seemed to arc blue sparks when she made contact with his trousers' leg. "I don't care much for cats," he said so low that Faith couldn't have heard him.

But Quattro, being undeterred and in the particular way of cats, seemed to take the declaration as a challenge. He didn't like cats? She began to purr, then hopped up on the couch beside him, curling up in a ball at his side, rumbling loudly on and on. Cyrus peered down at the creature, frowned and then snorted quietly. Figured. The grandson who he'd thought might grow to take over the business, had defied every expectation since the trial he was born. Figured that only a four tailed cat that must be a menace in a lightening storm, would do.

[Faith Augustin]

Faith looked up at him and in the four words you're Faith, I guess.. she knew that she had completely failed to live up to any kind of muster. "Yes, sir," she replied, though, ever polite and it took every ounce of discipline she had not to drop a curtsy. He was tall, a little taller than Padraig and he had an air about him which Padraig had described but Faith had never experienced. As he stepped in, he left his bags on the doorstep and Faith moved, instinct and training both kicking in; she had brought two of the bags in by the time he'd sat down and then he spoke again.

She could call him Cyrus? Faith looked at him and instead focused on the second bit of what he said. "No, if he'd known then we would have met you at the docks." Whiskey, two fingers? Faith nodded her head. There was a bottle of whiskey in the cupboard, she'd used splashes of it in her cooking now and then but it was more than two-thirds full still. "Of course. One moment."

It was in the little things that who Faith was often came out. She didn't bring him out a glass of whiskey, she brought him out a glass of whiskey, which she placed down on the table next to him once she'd put it on a small and delicate coaster, to stop the glass from marking the table. Next to it, she put down a plate which had a small bowl of nuts and a selection of savoury biscuits and crackers. With a polite smile, she introduced the animals, "that's Quattro. This is Cosmo." Faith said, of the dog who stood with her and stayed there. "Would you like me to move the cat?"

Once he was settled Faith left him briefly to go and bring in the rest of his bags. Immortals, she thought, he packed enough for two or even four people. Still, she couldn't leave his bags on the doorstep so she brought them into the house and, when the last one was in, she closed the door. Cosmo sat and watched as she did that and tilted his head to the side as though querying why she was behaving in such a strange manner.

Then, though, Padraig's grandfather spoke and Faith came back to the living room and sat down in the armchair. Her back was straight and she perched on the edge of the seat, hands folded in her lap and the strange blue and obviously still a puppy but large dog sitting next to her, his head on her knees. "A healer? Yes, sir." Did he want more information, less information? Faith really wasn't sure, so she smiled at him and decided that it would be better if she steered firmly away from information about herself. What had Padraig told him, what he hadn't, that might prove tricky and she had no intention of embarrassing Padraig in his grandfather's eyes.

"There is a room made up, ready and I could draw you a bath if you'd like?" Certainly, it was the first thing that she'd wanted to do after travelling, but then everyone was different. "Padraig tells me you are a shoemaker?" Regarding him with silver eyes, Faith realised that Padraig had probably given him facts, like he had a job and was doing well at the University, but he wouldn't have bragged. "Since he wrote to you, Padraig completed his Diploma in Physics." She gestured to the shelves where Padraig's certificates were on display, along with hers. "He's just started his second season as an Associate Professor and is starting his Charter in physics this season, whilst completing his Diploma in Chemistry. He teaches both." The pride in her voice was undisguised; it had been what Padraig had dreamed of since she met him, after all.

"Is there anything else I can get you? If you're comfortable and have no need of anything, I'll take your bags up to your room." Who'd have thought it, she considered when she mentioned the bags again. Padraig's grandfather packed like a girl.

[Padraig]

"No need," Cy responded dryly when Faith asked if she should move the cat. Something in the creature's expression told him she'd only be back again, or raise a fuss. At the moment she was only curled against his leg, snoozing and purring loudly. They could abide each other that way, he figured.

The dog was as interesting as the cat and as the large pup sat beside her, the older man eyed it critically. "He glow in the dark?" He wasn't even sure why he thought that it might. Except that everything on this island seemed to be different than the norm. And maybe arcs of raising a boy whose interest in science had eclipsed an interesting in anything else had rubbed off on him.

So she was a healer, but she didn't elaborate. Instead she'd started to drag his and his companion's bags in and rather than explain straight away why he'd left them on the stoop, Cy had frowned and took the most of them from her hands to set them inside the door. "You don't need to wait on me or draw my bath either, Faith," he said. He didn't so much as say it, but Padraig had elaborated on her past in his letter. "I brought someone with me. She's out shopping but we don't want to be an imposition. We can take a room at the inn."

"A shoemaker," he confirmed. "But I've sold the business now. We thought we might want to see a little more of the world. I figured he'd do well enough after he left home," Cy added, referring to his grandson. The expression on his face changed subtly, but the pride was definitely there. "I had a lot of expectations where he was concerned. I guess he surpassed them all." Maybe not quite in the way he'd expected when his daughter had first left him an infant to raise. But he'd exceeded all expectations, nonetheless.

Picking up his glass, he took a swallow then shook his head. "No, I'm just fine. You don't need to go to any extra trouble."

***

After a class of his own and a trial full of teaching, Padraig had been at the Scholar's Nook, waiting for a student who was a quarter of a break late showing up. And once he had, one question and one problem had turned into several more. Which caused him to be even later returning home.

He was tired, but it had been a productive and satisfying trial, in spite of the stack of papers inside his satchel that would need looking over later on. He'd headed towards home, neither hurrying or dawdling. But as he approached there was something different about the house that he and Faith shared.

A stranger approaching the door. A woman, maybe just a little bit older than him, though it was hard to tell with her back turned mostly to him. Curiously though he opened the gate and called out, "Hello. Can I help you with something?" Probably there to see Faith, he figured, though she could as easily be a stranger to them both.

[Faith Augustin]

As though he knew he was being talked about, Cosmo's tail thumped against the floor a couple of times and he looked at Cy with a lolling tongue. "He does indeed. Padraig bought him for me." Just for a brief second, she tugged the bag back off Cyrus, a definite moment where she pulled right back. It passed in an eye blink, though and when he said she didn't need to wait on him, she looked up and he was frowning at her. She didn't need to draw his bath? "Well, you don't know where the bathroom or the hot water is. It seems most efficient, really." Faith looked up at him and smiled, her silver eyes holding the kind of half-amused, half-sassy expression they had when she first met his grandson, although he couldn't know that. "Just this first time, to show you the ropes."

Once they'd got all the bags inside the house the pair of them returned back to the living room, Cosmo trailing with them as Cyrus explained that he'd brought a companion with him. "If it's your wish, of course. But there's a room made up for you and your companion here and I cook better than the Inn." Her smile was genuine as she said that and her words were spoken in her usual soft tone."You are family, so this is your home as much as it is anyone else's." It was up to him, but there was nothing but a welcome for them here. Just in case he needed her to say it, she added, "Both of you."

The pride on his face, though, when he spoke of Padraig caused her to smile. However, no extra trouble? Did he not realise, she thought, just what he had done? He had raised the child who became the man she loved and who loved her. "Padraig looks like you." Faith smiled as she said that, "He sounds and acts like you too. I am very poor at telling him what I should tell him more, but you are no trouble. Not here." She gestured to the crackers, a much safer subject. "Plus, I make test batches of things for the restaurant I own. It helps me to determine if they are edible."

Meanwhile, outside the house that the two of them shared, Katherine was standing and wondering, should she knock the door? Had it been enough time? The woman who turned around at Padraig's words was, in fact, older than him by about ten arcs, but her hair was perfect as was her make up. She looked much closer to Padraig's age than her own.

She had with her a number of bags. It was hard to determine exactly what that number was, but it was very much in the category of a lot. She did love to shop. Turning around as he spoke, though, she dropped the bags and gasped in a very dramatic fashion, then stepped up to him and cupped his face in her perfectly manicured hands. "Oh, you darling child look at you!" Maybe ten arcs older than, not more. "You look so like my Cy! You have his beautiful honey eyes and that is how I've always pictured his hair!" Yes, completely unaware of any notions of personal space, that was certainly what the latest visitor to his home was.

"Oh, sweetheart, you're Padraig? Look at you." She seemed to like that phrase. "You are just like two peas in a pod. Cy is so proud of you, the moment he got your letter, we just sold up and came here." May all the Immortals help him, Padraig was trills away from having his cheeks pinched. "But listen to me, wittering on. You must be wondering who I am! I'm Katherine, if you want to be formal, but you call me Katie." She gave him a beautiful, truly beautiful smile which would have most men on their knees and dropped a wink. "Just not grandma, alright there, dearest boy? I feel like I know you already, Cy talks about you all the time. He's such a chatterbox."

Glancing at the door, she wondered, perhaps belatedly "Do you think he's in there with your lady? Faith, I believe? I bet you he's charmed her socks off." Scooping up half of the bags in one hand, and passing them to him, she picked up the other half and then linked her arm in his like they'd known each other all their lives. "Show Katie your home then, sweet boy."

[Padraig]

Faith tugged on the bag in the older man's hand, and Cy tugged back, as good as pinning her in place with a look that must have been capable of moving mountains, had he been inclined. At least it was an expression that had moved Padraig and right quick, ever since he could remember. It spoke volumes without the man saying a word. She'd let go of the bag and stop fussing over him, or he'd lift the bag higher with her dangling from the handle, feet up off the floor.

He grinned, ever so slightly after the battle was done, as if the exchange had somehow amused him. In truth, she had scrap and he liked that. Without seeing them together she seemed to suit his grandson well. "I'm sure I can locate the privy if necessary. But if I get a sudden yearning for a hot bath, you'll be the first to know," Cy told her, giving a little bit of ground in return.

"Padraig doesn't exactly know about her," he said when she insisted that both he and his guest would be welcome. Something in his tone implied that his companion might come as a surprise to his grandson, in more ways than one. And he wasn't sure how he'd take to the idea. Not that it would change anything. Picking up one of the treats off the plates she'd brought, he tasted and grunted. "It's good." He grinned again, just a trill's tug at the corner of his mouth. "Is that a compliment or a complaint?" he asked. Padraig acting like him, he meant.

***

She didn't look like the kind of woman who traveled alone, Padraig thought, even before the lady turned around. And all those bags, as if she was planning a visit and a stay somewhere. Maybe she was from the mainland and had the wrong house? And when she did turn around, he realized that she couldn't have been much older than he was. And if he was being honest, she wasn't hard on the eyes either.

But before he could say another word she was on him like a swarm of bees on honey, cupping his face in her hands even as he stumbled a few strides back in surprise. Darling child? Her Cy?. "Umm," Padraig uttered. Yes, that was him. But who was she? Was she talking about his grandfather? The first reasonable thought to race through his mind was that, maybe, his own mother wasn't his grandfather's only child after all. Could there have been another he'd never known about?

Then again it was a strange way to describe one's father. Beautiful honey eyes, gushing over his hair. And then, she asked him not to call her grandma and Padraig frowned...just starting to grasp the implications. She was half Cy's age at best. And the man that she was describing, a chatterbox? Even he hadn't managed to get a word in edgewise, which meant it would be a hard row to hoe for anyone. But a chatterbox, Cy Augustin was not. He communicated best, Padraig had once thought after finding himself in trouble, through a series of piercing stares, grunts and snorts.

There were so many things about the current, apparent state of affairs that if correctly assumed, he wasn't remotely close to embracing. On the other hand, well, chances were there was a grown man inside who'd do as he pleased. And so like his grandfather, once recovering himself he smiled and quipped dryly. "Judging by your description, I suspect there may be an impostor inside my home and Faith is serving him drinks and snacks as we speak."

Opening the door to show her in, Padraig added, "Who are you then, and what have you done with my grandfather?"

[Faith Augustin]

Faith had changed enormously as a person since the time that she had tapped nervously on Padraig's front door. He had been, and continued to be, her safe place. These trials, her confidence was enormously improved on how it had been previously and yet only the two of them truly understood how long and hard that journey had been. There were still things for the former slave to overcome and she knew that. She also knew that the two of them would face those things together, without fear or recrimination. Each trial was another step in confidence and another step away from the past which no longer held her.

No matter, though, how many steps away from that she took, no matter how much she grew in confidence, Faith was never going to be able to withstand that look from Cyrus Augustin. Famula forbid that Padraig ever master it, she considered as she dropped her hold on his bag, lest she end up levitating in her own living room. She smiled at him when he said that, should he develop an urge for a bath she'd be the first to know. Round one to Grandpad, she considered.

Padraig didn't know about his companion? Faith had assumed as much but if she was any judge of character, he wasn't entirely sure Padraig was going to approve, Faith thought. Padraig didn't remember his grandmother, so it couldn't be for that reason; Faith couldn't help but wonder why, but then it didn't matter. It would be what it was and her fussing or involving herself in it would do no good.

The smile she gave when he said the food was good turned to a grin when he asked her if it was a compliment or a complaint. "You raised the child who became the man who has made the impossible commonplace for me. There is no greater compliment." How strange that she would say that so easily to his grandfather; there might be something in that glare, she considered. Still, Famula forbid it ever cross Padraig's face.

Meanwhile, Katie (not grandmother, never grandmother) planted a kiss on Padraig's cheek and laughed a delighted laugh at his quip regarding his grandfather. "So like him, you beautiful boy! Come on then, show Katie in." The door opened and the dog looked up and wuffed in pleasure, but did not leave Faith's side; too many strangers and so he stayed close.

"Cy! Oh darling I missed you!" Into the house entered, like a whirlwind, Katherine Lauper. She took the few trills to blow kisses to Cyrus and then she turned her full attention to the young woman who was standing up and looking at the two of them. "Faith!" Katie exclaimed as though they hadn't seen each other for arcs. Faith looked at the young woman Padraig had brought home, briefly wondered who she was and why he had lipstick on his face and then she wondered nothing more as Katie simply wrapped her in a hug. "Oh look at you, you're a tiny person! Cy, she's a tiny person! Like a little Tunawa for our Padraig to keep in his pocket."

Faith understood the importance of touch, as a doctor. She had, however, experienced far too much abuse in her life to be comfortable with people she didn't know suddenly grabbing her but there she was, wrapped up in a hug and, over Katie's shoulder, serious and utterly confused eyes sought out Padraig. Katie had physically lifted Faith off the ground, briefly, but then put her down and placed perfectly manicured hands on her shoulder before repeating the face cupping gesture.

"Oh, you're like a little doll. How beautiful, darling child. Cy has told me everything." Katie seemed to be trying to reassure her, Faith considered, but everything about what? "We are here now, you have nothing to worry about." Faith really wasn't sure that she'd been worrying about anything, but Katie's statement prompted a smile of confused gratitude and a glance at Padraig. Then, she realised something.

"Oh!" Faith said, and looked between Cyrus and Katie. "You're with him," Faith pointed to Cyrus, before her finger moved to gesture to Padraig, "not.. him?" Faith had wondered who the woman who was leaving lipstick stains on her fiance was, but now this made sense. Briefly, she'd wondered if Padraig had discovered an older sister. No, this was his step-grandmother. Well, she was a third Cyrus' age, Faith considered but if they were happy what did it matter.

"Cyrus, honey bear, I hope you haven't been scaring this little tiny doll." Katie looked at Cyrus and her smile was adoring as she stepped away from Faith and wrapped her arms around Cyrus with a wicked expression. "I've been shopping. I bought you lovely clothes." Her voice was honey and her expression impish when she added, "I've bought me some too, I think you'll like them."

Faith looked at Padraig and with a look of utter confusion on her face, motioned to her own cheek, suggesting that he should pay attention to the perfect lips embossed in pink lipstick which he wore, proudly. "So, now that we're all together and everyone is so adorable." Katie said, nestled snugly in Cyrus embrace, "Can we stay with you darling children? Cyrus said we should take a room at the Inn but we're all family and besides." She lifted her hands and gave a little clap of delight. "We have a wedding to plan!"

[Padraig]

Padraig really wished she'd stopped doing that. Up close and cupping his face, beautiful boy, child, speaking of herself in third person. Yet all the way he wore a tolerant and amiable smile, and resisted the urge to pull himself out of her grasp. It was a hard won effort. He'd already come to the inescapable conclusion that his grandfather was romantically involved with this woman, and therefore conclude that he'd gone and lost his mind completely.

As soon as they got through the door, she left him holding the bags and was on Faith before he could utter a word. He looked at Faith helplessly, then glanced at what was an older version of himself in many more ways than one. "Grandfather," he uttered. "I wasn't sure you could get away from your shop in order to come. If we'd been expecting..." Cy interjected dryly, "The two of you would have gone to more trouble than was necessary. And I sold the shop."

He had lost his mind, Padraig thought, but if he'd sold the shop he had money, which caused him to eye the woman half his age that was currently lifting Faith up off her feet. He saw the panicked look on her face but he was as powerless to stop the onslaught as he had been when the woman had come at him. A tiny person? Honey bear? That got his attention though and he looked back at his grandfather who now had this woman draped around him. A much younger woman referring to purchases that were...

And, already planning their wedding for them. Glancing at Faith helplessly and at a loss for words, he caught her gesture and frowned, a silent "What?" hanging in the air between them before he realized, frowned and reached up to smudge a thumb across his cheek.

All the while, Cy hadn't remained ignorant. In fact he'd never been since first arriving. He knew what was going through his grandson's mind when Padraig cleared his throat, looked his way and frowned. "Think we could have a word granddad?" The meaning wasn't lost on the old man and instead of disentangling himself from Katherine, he said, "We're all grownups here Padraig. I'm sure if there's anything to say you can say it in front of everyone."

"Go ahead why don't you?" he added, and somehow that gravely baritone voice made clear it was a challenge or even a command. Definitely not a suggestion. There'd been many of these standoffs growing up. Padraig stared at his grandfather, the grandfather stared back at him. It lingered for a long handful of trills but ultimately, it was a form of communication that Cyrus Augustin had mastered long ago, and the younger Augustin blinked and crafted a smile. "I just wanted to say, welcome to our home. Both of you."

[Incubus]

Faith

Knowledge
Caregiving: Being a good hostess
Caregiving: Looking after tired travelers
Cosmetology: Choosing colours which suit
Cosmetology: Eyeshadow to accentuate eyes
Cosmetology: Simple and subtle make up works
Cosmetology: Loose hair can look good if well maintained
Negotiation: Putting forward good reasons for alternatives
Negotiation: Pointing out why your suggestion is better
Socialization: Group introductions

NPC: Cyrus Augustin
NPC: Katie Lauder

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Fame: N/A
Devotion: N/A

Points: 15

Padraig

Knowledge
Etiquette: Keeping an amiable smile
Etiquette: The art of greeting a stranger
Etiquette: Hiding shock in front of a guest
Etiquette: Welcoming people to your home
Psychology: Non-verbal communication
Psychology: Parental authority maintains throughout the lifespan
Psychology: Changes in behaviour brought on by romantic attachment

Socialization: Meeting your future step-grandmother
Socialization: Group introductions

NPC: Cyrus Augustin
NPC: Katie Lauder

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Fame: N/A
Devotion: N/A

Points: 15

Comments: If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please let me know.