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August 9, 2004 (Afternoon)

The news is sent, and I only hope that Lenore can forgive me for staying here still longer. I'm sure she will understand my reasons upon reading my message. I cannot leave Pappila alone in this place, she is so young... I need to find someone who can watch over her when I cannot be here. If only Alimus could pass through into Tir Nan Og, I know I could trust her to him. Hmm... perhaps he can. He is a Shadow after all, and he is soul bonded to me. I'll have to inquire with King Cervus and Lady Sahjiri later on about that possibility.

The room is now, thankfully, as clean as I can get it without using magical means. The curtains, rug, and furniture have been removed, as they were beyond redemption. The bed will have to stay until I can get a new one in here for her, as she needs something to sleep on. The desk also stays till a replacement can be found, as I'm right now not very eager to sort through its contents. Pappila has still not awoken, a fact I am most grateful for. She's been moved back into her bed with its now clean bedding, and continues to sleep with a small smile on her lips. Such a sweet little one in appearance. I cannot help but feel that there is more lurking in that small head than I care to imagine, but we shall see.

Speaking of Pappila, I ought to write of how I met this dear child in the first place. I was sent a letter by the Lady Sahjiri, which informed me of the possibility of my ansectors having Fey blood. I came to this place seeking the truth of that claim, and obviously it was proven without a doubt. I still recall the whole event of her being freed...



Session Plot: Sajhiri and Cervus bring Eirnae to Tir Nan Og in the hopes that she is Kithain. She is indeed and frees Pappila, daughter of the former Court Magician, from her glassy prison. In the meantime, the pains of transformation wrack Ardea, bringing him into his teen form.

Participants: Sajhiri, Eirnae, Kuyalu, Pappila, Ardea, and Cervus.

Setting: Castellum Argentus

So now here I am, wondering what to do with this little girl with an angelic face. For now I'll opt to investigate what kind of food they have in this place, for when she wakes up she is bound to be hungry.

~ Eirnae Slytherin-Natenhar

8/12/04

I took Pappila over to visit another Fey this afternoon, and things seemed to go well. I thought it would be best for her to get out and meet some of the others, instead of staying wrapped up in her books and butterflies. Yes, you heard me, butterflies. The moment I opened up her window this morning to let in some fresh air, in streamed a hoard of the darn things! The only reason I didn't try to find a way to encourage them back out the window, though Eilistraee only knows how I would have managed that, is the gleeful giggle I heard from little Pappila behind me. I spun around to see the many insects circling around Pappila slowly, who was seated on the bed and reaching up towards her winged vistors. It is now mid-afternoon, and they came back in through the window to start circling her again once we got back, amazingly enough. She is on the rug looking at the pages of the book she borrowed from Ursa, the Fey we visited earlier, not even paying attention to them though they persistantly remain. I'm afraid to come near her for fear of startling them and making them scatter, as Pappila seems to be very fond of them. When they are around her she seems more at ease and less likely to want to cuddle into me for reassurance that I'm real. I get the impression that they are going to be regulars in this room, and I'm going to have to learn how to 'work around them'.

Anyway, back to the previous subject. Pappila was very polite during her visit, presenting the teddy bear I picked out for her to give to Ursa with a small curtsey, just like I taught her. She caught on to the 'how to present a gift' lessons very quickly, though I'll admit she didn't seem thrilled with the whole thing. She did put on a good 'game face' for the actual presentation part, however, and truly lit up when she saw how many books Ursa has in her room. From that point on she got a bit frustrated, as no matter how she gestured Ursa and her Kithain, Seeno, seemed to not understand what she meant. We left not long after Ursa lent her the book, mostly because Pappila was getting sleepy. I'll say here that I also wanted to get Pappila out of there before she got so frustrated she'd do something rash. If there is one thing that annoys her, it is being misunderstood. I anticipate this happening often until she gets older, as she has yet to truly speak and so many people seem to relie on their sense of hearing to understand what others mean.

Of course I found out another personality quirk of my Fey just an hour before now. She doesn't like the smell of cooked meat, not at all. It seems to make the poor dear sick to her stomach. How was I to know that she won't even touch the stuff? Till now all I brought her was a variety of fruits and vegetables to eat, thinking that would be best for a growing child. I decided to try offering her some roasted pork with mashed potatoes with white gravy, and her nose scrunched up cutely the moment I set it down before her. She scooted back into the pillows on her bed and turned her back to the food, one hand going to her stomach and the other to her mouth to hold in her retching. When your child is brought close to vomiting due to the food you made just by its smell, you don't feel like an accomplished mother. I got that plate of food out of her room as fast as possible, and got her a bowl of salad greens with a light splattering of herbal dressing instead. That she ate with relish, and a smile of what I took to be gratitude. The moral of this story? No more meat for Pappila until she is older and can tell me what she likes and what she doesn't.

~ Eirnae Slytherin-Natenhar

8/16/04

To think that I would meet Neith's Fey, Filix, by chance in the Gardens instead of an offical introduction. That fact still makes me chuckle, though what happened during our meeting brings forth mixed emotions from my heart. While it was sweet to see Pappila warm up to Filix as quickly as she did, the tears in my Fey's eyes made me wonder what memories being held by another Fey brought. She seemed so very sad, and took comfort in Filix's words of advice and the promise to watch over Pappila in the future. Of course Pappila proceeded to surprise me by telling Filix her name when she asked for it from me. Odd how fitting it seems that Pappila's first spoken word around me would be her own name. I won't ask her of her past family for now, as all that seems to do is depress her greatly. The last thing I want to do is make Pappila close to tears.

Another revelation happened just after we reentered Pappila's room and I was in the beginnings of making us some lunch. I got out my dagger to slice up a tomato for a salad, and Pappila wrinkled her nose and scooted away from me faster than a mouse likely could run from a cat. Turns out she dislikes bladed weapons with a passion, and wants them nowhere near her. How very odd! I wonder what got the impression in her head that such things are dangerous even when not being held by someone. At any rate, I keep all of my blades sheathed when around her now. No sense in torturing the dear girl, though I am sure as the moon going to be asking her when she gets older just why she has this phobia.

~ Eirnae Slytherin-Natenhar

The door swinging open reveals what must be a bedroom for one of the Fey, as the wooden floor has been recently swept and the walls scrubbed clean. The dull gray of the stone walls are brightened by cherry wood furniture, namely a writing desk nestled near the rightmost side of the room. Royal blue seems to be the theme for this chamber, as the window and the double bed's curtains, the coverlet, even the wide braided rug that covers a majority of the floor echo that color.

The true marvel is the young girl sitting upright in the exact center of that same braided rug. Or rather, what is flying around her in a slow circle just out of her reach. A literal flock of butterflies of many a hue flutter patiently around above the head of this child whose wings echo their own, at least in form. Truth be told, this little girl's wings out dazzle even the loveliest of the butterflies gathered, something she herself doesn't seem to notice.

When the door opens the toddler doesn't take note of it at first, being too enthralled with her winged guests. It isn't until a flicker of green light darts forward, scattering a faint glow of sparkly particles after it, and comes to a stop near her shoulder that Pappila stop wriggling her fingers at the butterflies and turns to look past the doorway of her room to gaze up at Muris with inquisitive azure eyes. The light settles on the young Fey's left shoulder, the haze about its form dissapating to show the slim female fairy beneath. Both fairy and Fey look to Muris quietly, the butterflies continuing their circling like nothing has changed.

Pappila studies Muris' face before her caculating eyes take in the rest of her. Her inspection is not performed with the cold disdain one might except from modern nobility in regards to one of 'lesser birth', though no emotions show in her face nor her eyes as she takes in every detail about her unexpected guest. Once she apparently has her fill of Muris' appearance, the toddler holds up her right hand to wave an impartial hello, the other going to curl about a black wand with bits of crystal at both ends that wasn't viewable from the doorway till Pappila's turned around. No words are offered, but the little girl does turn up her lips in a friendly smile. Perhaps she cannot yet speak? She is young enough that such is a possibility.

Pappila sweeps the same hand she had previously waved towards the only chair in the room, the one by the writing desk, as if inviting Muris inside. The gesture is polite and oddly mature for such a young Fey. The butterflies seem to respond to Pappila's offer, their circle breaking as they begin to head for the open window, the first of the flock filtering out of the room.

Pappila tilts her head as she waits for Muris to get settled on the cherry wood chair, watching exactly how the other Fey arranges the chair as well as how she sits down on it. Her gaze goes up to Muris' face as her guest speaks in a halting tone. To the compliment to her butterflies, Pappila smiles brightly and inclines her head in a grateful half bow. She is very proud of what her Kithain calls her 'butterfly collection', though she likes to think of them more as her winged friends than a collection of any sort.

The small being still perched on Pappila's shoulder wobbles for balance at Pappila's unexpected movement, choosing to take to the air again instead of risking looking clumsy in front of Pappila's guest. While flying, the winged female takes on the same glowing property as before, looking nothing more than an oversized glowbug with a trail of sparkles following it. She hovers by Pappila for a moment before zipping over to be near Muris so she can better investigate her. "Hello!" a tiny voice squeaks up at Muris, most likely coming from the glowing female, "My name is Mirim, and this is my mistress, Lady Pappila." Mirim's grasp of the common tongue seems acceptable, if a bit lacking in volume.

Pappila slowly gets to her feet, which is only a struggle due to her refusing to release her hold on her pretty wand. Once up, she offers a dainty curtsey in Muris' direction, her way of saying that Mirim speaks the truth of her name and to offer her greetings.

Pappila steps forward, managing to look somewhat graceful despite her wobbily knees. She takes one step after another towards the chair Ursa is currently seated upon, finally nearly toppling forward just as she is about to reach her goal, her arms flailing forward to grasp the closest leg of the chair with her free hand, the other keeping hold of her precious wand. Carefully she steadies herself again before straightening, her eyes looking upwards to Muris' face as her lips curl into a small smile, butterfly wings fluttering a few times before going still again.

"Nice to meet Miss Muri," Mirim chimes as Pappila goes through the motions of getting closer to Muris on her chair, "Maybe Miss Muri read to Lady Pappila and Mirim?"

Pappila nods eagerly, azure eyes sparkling at the suggestion of Muris reading to her fairy companion and herself.