InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Baby Got Back!"

Diana Elias (airspriestess) wrote in light_of_may,
@ 2011-07-23 19:07:00

Entry tags:

#group scene, 2009-08-18, aurora, barnabas, cheila, diana

Together again just like it's meant to be
Who: Diana, Cheila, Barnabas, Aurora and Aetheria (NPC)
Where: Elias Household
When: Morning

Diana was excited for one reason and one reason only. Wait, did it count as two reasons? Since there were twins involved she supposed that maybe it did count as two and she was just thinking of it as one because they came as a sort of package. If you picked up a package of corn at the market - because in these weird markets they came all wrapped up in plastic without the husk! - then it was just one even if there were six of them in there. So yes, she'd been right and she was just excited for that one reason. That one reason being that the twins were coming to live with them at last. The house may not have been theirs for all that long but it still was. May not have been a temple but she was trying with the big windows, the porch and that meadow that Cheila was so very fond of. Now that was a girl who would make a wonderful high priestess. Caelia had been the one who was meant to follow her but more and more she thought that maybe it should be Cheila. Caelia had seemed to change so very much and she was hardly ever around. What sort of high priestess didn't even practice half of the time? Diana hadn't been able to keep herself from playing with air, praying to the gods or interacting with the others.

'You're supposed to be cleaning up the spare bedroom so that the twins can put their things in there. Remember?'

"Where are you?" Diana asked without looking up from her study of the kitchen counter. The stone was all blended together, black and silver with white flecked in, and it fascinated her every time that she paid any attention to it. 'On the table. Right behind you.' "Oh." Diana turned and waved at her familiar before looking at the counter again. Only Breeze was right and she needed to get the boxes that had been sent out of that room and where they belonged so that Aetheria and Aurora could move in. They wouldn't be happy if they had to sleep on the floor. Or they wouldn't care more than any of the others but it was the principle of the matter. "Cheila!" Diana called, finally turning away from her study of the counter. Was Cheila in the house? "Cheila; I need you to help me with something. If you're here. Are you here?"

'If she wasn't she wouldn't answer you.'

"Perhaps Lala would."

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importedair
2011-07-24 02:40 am UTC (link)

With her palms, nose and forehead pressed against the glass Cheila watched out of the window of the living room, marveling at the storm and praying. She always slept better on the nights during and before storms – something that, for her, was certainly something to be thankful for. And she would have gone to the alter to pray instead and made sure that all the proper respects had been paid, except that by the window was where she had thought of it and between there and the alter she knew she may forget. The weather made it less likely than usual, but still. Oh! But she had other things to be thankful for today. The twins were coming! Which was always wonderful on its own because she rarely got to see the both of them together, but after the conversation she had had with Aurora Cheila was hoping – and praying so very, very hard – that they could just stay. If not forever then at least for longer than usual. Aurora wanted it, needed it and their mother wanted it so much, and–

'She is here,' Lala provided without really giving her elemental a chance to answer. She could hear what was going on inside that head – it had nothing to do with whether or not she was being called. 'Your mother is calling you, daydreamer. She needs your help with something.'

“Oh!” Pulling away from the window, Cheila paid no mind to the fleeting thought that the chilled glass may have reddened her nose and forehead, and immediately turned her attention to finding Diana. Several rooms and flushed cheeks later (she had hoped she could find her faster than that), Cheila flew into the kitchen with her familiar chirping in her wake. “I'm here! Sorry, I – What did you need help with?” Did she look respectable? Mother or not, Diana was still High Priestess and one was supposed to look respectable around her. 'Daydreamer.'

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airspriestess
2011-07-24 03:44 am UTC (link)

Had Diana known that her daughter was busy with praying then she wouldn't have bothered her. It wasn't as though there were all that many things to move and if it was too hard she'd just use Air to help. He didn't mind helping out with the little things. But two masters together could do more than one alone. It would go faster and they wouldn't be caught working whenever the twins showed up. Diana wasn't quite sure of when that was but she was sure that it was today. It had to be today. Hadn't she written it down somewhere?

'On the calendar.' Where was the calendar? 'Hanging on the fridge.' Yes, yes it was today. Provided that today was indeed Tuesday as she was quite certain that it was. Why, it was only the day after her talk with Aetheria and Aurora had just called that morning. Breeze couldn't understand why she had needed to write it down, but then Breeze was an owl. Owls didn't keep track of time. 'Neither do air elementals from what I've noticed.'

"Cheila!" Diana beamed as her daughter came into the room with her tiny familiar behind her. When Diana stopped to think about it, which she may have done several times, it amused her that the entire family had gained some form or other of bird familiar. "I was hoping that you were not busy and would be able to help me clear out that spare room so that the twins can have it." So far as Diana was concerned they were coming and living there. She wasn't going to let them leave and go back to that place with the demon who had tormented Aetheria so. What if she did the same to Aurora? "Assuming they'll stay in their beds and not find their way to mine or yours that is." Diana understood the need for closeness that some of them had developed. It was only natural after the unnaturalness of the past five years.

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importedair
2011-07-24 03:17 pm UTC (link)

Cheila brightened immediately upon seeing her mother smile like that. She should always have reason to smile like that. “I'm not too busy. I was just watching the storm.” And praying, yes, she hadn't forgotten that but she thought – or hoped – the gods would be understanding on that note. She wasn't taking them for granted at all, but a lot of Cheila's prayers went unfinished because something had successfully distracted her (someone calling her name, her familiar, very strange noises that shouldn't have been there). It might have been why so many went unanswered. That would have troubled her if she thought about it any further, but she had already nodded her head in agreement and dropped a light kiss on her mother's cheek. “Of course.” If Diana needed help with that then she would do so in a heartbeat – it would be wonderful for them to have somewhere to stay when they visited. Then perhaps they could just visit for longer and longer and eventually never have to go back.

'I don't think she is talking about longer visits.'

But... it was only yesterday that Cheila had spoken to Aurora. When they had acknowledged how difficult it may be. That it might not be possible because Aetheria might not want to leave wherever they were and they might not have enough money to, and... Could they really have put everything together overnight? I can't believe it would be that easy. Not after what Aurora had said. Unless it really was that easy and neither of them had realised. Could it have been? With a confused but hopeful smile, she untangled her fingers from the skirts of her dress – somehow they always ended up like that – and tilted her head. “They're staying? Staying-staying” Not a single word of her conversation with Aurora was to be repeated. Except perhaps anything involving hot chocolate. “And I don't mind sharing my bed... Are they really staying?” Lincoln had told her before something about when something sounds too good to be true. She couldn't remember the exact words but she could feel the difference. She also knew her mother's force of will and need for them to come back was such that she might just try to make it so, but that wasn't how this worked.

'You cannot tell her that right now. You would have to explain why you know.' No, Diana didn't need to know any of that. Not when it applied to three of them in the least.

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airspriestess
2011-07-24 05:56 pm UTC (link)

Oh, right, it was storming outside. Well that just made everything even more wonderful then because she would be able to know what Aetheria wanted to say when she arrived without that silly writing or rasping voice thanks to Aurora. Diana had always thought that psychic bond between the twins was a very useful thing and likely even more so now that Aetheria couldn't talk that well. "Wonderful! Come with me then." Her study of the kitchen counter could be picked up at another time. Who knew, by then it may have developed another color since it already had three. Diana didn't know the limits of these modern day things anymore than she knew how to sail a ship.

Blissfully ignorant to the thoughts going through Cheila's head, Diana couldn't have stood to be a telepath, she found her way to the room on the other side of the hall from Cheila's. "Well of course they are." Aurora had not said that exactly, but Diana had decided that she was going to take it that way. Because that was the way that it was supposed to be. That was the way that it would be. Diana knew nothing of human ownership or contracts or any of that. Aurora and Aetheria were her daughters and they needed to be with them. Together they could heal more thoroughly. Why wouldn't they be able to if that was what they all wanted? "I know you don't, Cheila, but I'm sure that if they have their own they'll stay in it." Actually no she wasn't. there had been nights right up until the time they were all taken when she would awaken and find all of her children in the same bed, or three in this one and two in that one. "But until we have a bed for them you might have to after all. It was good that Cheila could handle being close to the twins. "I don't even understand why all of these things are still in boxes. One of them has your and Caelia's ceremonial robes." Then another contained the twins. Or at least she thought that it might. Diana hadn't been the one to pack the boxes so she had not the slightest clue, and to be fair if she had she still wouldn't really recall. "I think we could use Barnabas... Cheila, be a dear and fetch your father for me, won't you?"

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importedair
2011-07-25 01:23 am UTC (link)

Poking at her forehead slightly to make sure she wasn't frowning at all, Cheila followed after Diana. Her answer hadn't made her feel much better about the situation. She knew her mother. Aurora had said something about coming over and she had taken it to mean that they were coming over to stay because that was how it was meant to be. Or she had decided that they were just going to stay and that was that, regardless of what Aurora had actually said. Or – 'Or perhaps you should stop fixating on that for the moment and be pleased that you're going to see them.' Feeling a touch guilty, Cheila rubbed at her forehead, smile resurfacing properly. “That will– it will be lovely!” Her nose wrinkled almost shyly while she tried to bottle away all her previous thoughts, but she felt like she was lying to her mother.

“Oh, there's no bed?” Well, there was clearly no bed. She couldn't see one. “Well, they could have mine. I don't mind sleeping on the floor.” The logic did not quite mix with the idea that the twins were not truly coming to stay, but she was deliberately choosing to forget that. Besides, it was true. If they needed her bed for whatever reason, Cheila did not mind sleeping elsewhere. “We may all fit, though. We're only small,” she said with a smile, making her skirts twirl. And yes, she loved her very small familiar. “Really? Robes?” Ceremonial robes, yes, but still robes. And Cheila could not remember the last time she had seen hers – 'Daydreamer.' “Oh! Yes.” Stopping in the hallway, she turned on the spot for a moment before turning back in the right direction and poking her head around the door-frame. “Father?” A beat. “Mother is asking after your help with the spare room.”

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findthethoughts
2011-07-25 02:34 am UTC (link)

Barnabas hadn't been resting or even pretending to. No, instead he had been sitting in bed with his slippers and glasses on, combing out his mustache while he stared at the wall and went through the names of all the countries in the world. Why he had decided to do that he wasn't quite sure but there had to be a reason for it. Solidifying his own mind perhaps. Yes, that made plenty of sense. He was solidifying his mind and for that to actually work he had to have thoughts going or else they would just scatter to the wind and he would be left more like his children and wife. He was supposed to be the steady one, the rock, and if he couldn't even keep his own thoughts straight then how was he supposed to help any of them with theirs? And they needed it. He had known that from the first moment that Aetheria and Aurora had come bounding across the park to embrace them. His sweet little girls all grown up and so damaged that it broke his heart even now to remember the stops and starts in their thoughts that didn't belong.

And Cheila... Caelia... Dashiell.

Was he hearing Cheila because he was thinking of her or was she actually there? Barnabas took another moment to pull himself out of thoughts that had drifted despite his being adamant that they would do no such thing to find that his daughter, he'd never included the 'step' in his thoughts just as she never included it in what she called him, was indeed there and speaking to him. "The spare room? Oh, alright." Barnabas supposed that it was time that he tried to help more around the house. Surely if he forgot what he was doing someone would notice and point him in the right direction. Ignoring the part where they were all air elementals just as likely to be guilty of the same thing by their very nature. "Why are we cleaning it out again?" If there was a reason and he'd been given it then he'd already managed to forget. He could have always tried to pick the thoughts out of Cheila's mind but he didn't have quite the grasp on his telepathy that he was used to and might just read everything. Last time... no, no he didn't want to read Cheila's mind.

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importedair
2011-07-25 07:27 pm UTC (link)

Smiling at the sight of Barnabas brushing out his moustache, Cheila bit back a quiet laugh. It was such a familiar a image that she couldn't quite help herself. There were little things like that that made her think perhaps things could one day be normal again. Or as normal as they could be given that they were actually all just older. And this was a different place. A nice place, but different. Oh, but she hoped she had not interrupted any important thoughts.

"For the twins," she answered after a moment, choosing her truths carefully and picking through her thoughts rather more so. The latter was difficult - it rather went against her nature - but it was something she found to be necessary there and then. And even without her current worries, there were just things she didn't want her father hearing in her mind. "So they can have it. But it is full of boxes and no bed..." Her voice trailed off as she turned back to find her mother. The hallway always presented a problem for Cheila to some degree. She could remember that the spare room was opposite her room. But she had since forgotten which room was hers. That she had initially navigated by turning around on the spot did not help her much. 'That way. Yes - No, daydreamer, the other way.' Really, it was easier to follow her familiar. "But the bed isn't a problem," she continued, almost as though she hadn't stopped. Really, she would stay sleeping on the floor if it was at all necessary. That it wouldn't be wasn't really featuring into her trail of thought because she wasn't allowing it to. "Any luck with the boxes, mother?" Cheila blinked. How exactly did one have luck with boxes?

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airspriestess
2011-07-25 09:14 pm UTC (link)

Diana had managed to move two boxes that were labeled as books into the hall by the time that Cheila returned with Barnabas. While that may not have seemed like a whole lot for most people it definitely was for someone like Diana who usually didn't do well with such tasks on her own. Breeze wasn't even happening since the owl had decided that she was going to stay where she'd been in the first place. Breeze couldn't help with the moving and she only had a terribly habit of growing so annoyed with Diana's lack of ability to grasp one single line of thought that she'd ignore her and annoy Diana in turn so that they were both glaring. Only Diana had to keep a check on her temper best as she could because it just wouldn't do to strike her familiar with lightning.

Would that count as suicide?

"Two boxes!" Diana declared, standing from where she had settled into the midst of several more to walk over and place a kiss on Barnabas' cheek. It always made her so happy to have him around and walking on his own without needing help. And to see that he'd managed to get himself dressed as well. She hadn't even needed to help him this time! "Darling if you could put those boxes into our room, and a few into Dashiell's, then we'll be able to make room for the twins." Pulling the lid off the next box, Diana motioned for Cheila to join her as she pulled out an old robe. "Remember this? I remember the last time that you wore it very clearly, you and the others. You all looked so beautiful. I can't imagine that any of you would need new ones." They hadn't changed much in size unless it was to grow smaller.

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findthethoughts
2011-07-25 09:48 pm UTC (link)

For the twins? Were the twins coming to visit or to stay? The wisps of thoughts that he heard from Cheila didn't really say one way or another, as though she wasn't sure or didn't want to be sure, and Barnabas decided that it'd perhaps be better to ask Diana when they reached her. "I'm sure that you won't have to sleep on the floor, Cheila," Barnabas assured her, not even aware that the thought about that had been a thought and not spoken. Another thing about this state that he didn't like was his seeming inability to separate thoughts from words. "The twins are not so big and Dash could be content on the foot of our bed for a night or two." He didn't know that Diana intended the twins to stay. Or that either of the twins intended it either. The last that he'd looked into their minds it had pained him and he'd tried to block the things, the thoughts, that he'd seen there far away in a deep, dark corner.

Smiling when Diana kissed his cheek, Barnabas glanced around at the boxes. There weren't so terribly many. "Of course." It didn't seem like such a difficult task. Bending over to pick up both of the boxes he turned and found his way back to the room he shared with Diana. For something so spacious it seemed so empty and half the closet had nothing in it at all. Setting the boxes there he turned and went back for a few more. Unlike Cheila he didn't have any problem finding his way around the house. No matter how scattered his mind managed to get he could always find his way around. There were advantages to being a Finder. "When is it that the twins are going to be arriving, do you know?" Staying. Diana's thoughts very clearly painted a picture, a big and vivid one that would have needed capital letters to describe it should words be used, that claimed that the twins weren't just visiting. They were coming to stay, to live. Cheila's thoughts seemed amazingly flightly and unfocused for news that wonderful. Was it true or was he making it up? Barnabas had trouble being sure these days.

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importedair
2011-07-26 03:44 am UTC (link)

"Two," Cheila chimed, almost inexplicably excited when one took into account her trail of thought from earlier. If she stopped to think about it - and she didn't really think she should just yet - it was almost like her familiar was carrying the seriousness for her for a while. Because Lala's presence in her head was definitely a far more serious one than she was used to. There were definitely things the little bird thought her elemental should be taking into account - like how she expected her younger sisters to react to all of this - but not where Barnabas might catch it (she was still trying to pretend she hadn't heard him answer something she'd not said) and not when she seemed to be in better spirits again. About better things. Something as simple as seeing Diana kiss Barnabas on the cheek had caused her smile to broaden, and she bounced up on her toes for a moment - oh, where were her shoes? 'Does it matter right now?' ... No, I suppose not.

Automatically moving to her mother's side when beckoned, Cheila felt something tug in her chest when she recognised the robe as her own. Smile still fixed in place, she realised she needed to stop looking to Diana as though the owner of the robe was going to change at the last second. Because that was silly. "I think I'm the same size," she admitted after a moment, voice smaller because her eyes were welling and her throat felt like it was knotting. If she cried it would be a happy cry - it was the smaller things that got to her - but she would rather not cry at all. So she was ignoring it. Instead, she reached out to stroke the fabric. She had almost forgotten how pretty the ceremonial robes were. Hers had forgotten her too, it seemed. There was an odd sort of disconnect. Like she had been away so long it and hadn't been expecting her back yet. At the mention of the arrival of the twins, Cheila didn't physically look to Diana but she was listening intently. Her eyes were still on the robe. She did hope her mother remembered, though.

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airspriestess
2011-07-26 04:47 am UTC (link)

Grateful that Barnabas was at least there enough to do as she asked without giving her strange looks, Diana's attention stayed mostly focused on the boxes and the various things that were inside of them. Someone needed to have put these in some sort of order. Which they'd likely been in before she and Dashiell had brought them in that first time. Cheila's expression when she held the robe up was enough to cause Diana to forget that there was something she was doing. "Here sweetheart, take it." She leaned in to press it into Cheila's hands. Now was not the time to say that if Caelia continued as she was then Diana thought that Cheila'd be the better high priestess. "You'll have to try it on. Then the twins can put theirs on and you'll all look wonderful together." Pleased with the thought, Diana hummed a quiet tune as she looked through the next few boxes.

"What was that?" Diana blinked up at Barnabas for a moment before she mind caught up to the question that she'd been asked. When were the twins arriving. "Oh..." Tilting her head a little to one side, Diana looked at the window and the rain that was trailing down the pane. It was a good idea to give this room to the twins, they always liked big windows and it'd help them know when it was going to be a day where they'd be able to hear each other. "They should be here anytime now. Aurora called not long after the sun came up to tell me. Apparently they had some sort of a meeting to discuss something first but really, any moment now." If they didn't arrive then Diana was going to find where they were and she was going to bring them home where they belonged. If she had to drag them by their hair then she'd do that. It would grow back. Scars left by demons and whatever else they dealt with would last far longer.

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findthethoughts
2011-07-26 01:29 pm UTC (link)

Barnabas was honestly trying to not listen in on the thoughts that were going through his wife and daughter's minds, but it wasn't possible to just shut everything out. The more that people thought and the longer that he was around them he couldn't control it. It was almost like the build-up in a dam. The more that came up behind the harder it was to keep all of it from bursting forth and overwhelming everything. Only a few weeks ago he wouldn't have been able to handle even just the two of them in the same room as him. The barriers between their minds and his wouldn't have remained erected and he'd have been in danger of losing what he'd been sure he would've since that demon had raked its metaphorical claws through his very real mind; himself. Stop that. His thought. That was Barnabas's own thought in his own voice. Better to think of himself with his own voice than hear Cheila's thoughts race over the matter of her ceremonial dress and how it was unfamiliar to her. Or was she thinking that it was her who was unfamiliar to the dress? No, not a dress, those were ceremonial robes. Barnabas had seen enough ceremonies to recognize those.

What he didn't recognize were Diana's thoughts about how Cheila might be a better high priestess than Caelia. "But Caelia's older," Barnabas pointed out absently, not thinking that it had been a thought and not a spoken statement. Which meant that Cheila wasn't supposed to hear it. Hopefully she was a little too absorbed in staring at and feeling her robe to think about why he had said what he did. "But good! It'll be good to have them here for a time, however long that might be." Diana thought forever, Cheila was very wary about how she thought about them. Almost as though she knew something that neither of them did. "You cannot drag the twins around by their hair, Diana," Barnabas chided. That was definitely a thought that he couldn't just let pass without saying something about it. "They're not little girls and where they live is their choice." He had almost sounded like his old self there for a moment. Except his old self wouldn't have thought of saying something like that to Diana of all people. Not while there was a storm raging outside.

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unseeingair
2011-07-26 05:09 pm UTC (link)

Aurora still was not sure that she actually believed what was happening. In order to believe what was happening she would have needed to accept it, and that was nigh on impossible. Her mind was having problems actually accepting what she and Aetheria had been told. That there was no need to buy themselves from anyone because they were not technically owned. They were their own people and had been from the moment that Domina hired them. Hired. They worked for her and that was it. Which meant that they could leave without having to buy themselves like Aurora had been so sure had to happen. She had had that discussion with Cheila and everything because she wanted to know how much she thought they would cost. Cheila had only known that they would likely be expensive. I upset Cheila for nothing...

Don't worry. It was not her voice but it was in her head and Aurora squeezed Aetheria's hand. They loved when it stormed, it made all of this so much easier.

I wasn't worried, I just wished I'd have known so that I didn't upset her like that. You should've seen her face... The memory popped up and she felt Aetheria wince a little. Neither of them liked making their family upset. The car rolled to a stop and Aurora felt the negative emotions wash away from both of them at the realization that they were here. "We're here!" And both of them were shooting out of the car and up the path without a thought for the bags that they had in the trunk. The man would take care of those for them. Aurora did not mind the rain soaking through her hair and clothes, still grasping tight to Aetheria's hand as she knocked on the door. Do you think we have to knock?

No... They were still going to wait.

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importedair
2011-07-26 11:48 pm UTC (link)

Cheila liked the idea of trying her robe on. And she liked the idea of the twins trying theirs on even more, if she were honest. Then they would just need Dashiell and Caelia and their mother to as well and it would be like getting ready for a ceremony again - oh, but that might seem disrespectful and perhaps that isn't a good idea after all. What date was it? Had they missed a festival day or was there one approaching? It seemed like forever since Cheila had last seen one. 'Slow down please, your thoughts are everywhere. I'm not that good.' Smiling fondly at the robe in her hands, she held it up so her familiar could see. "See, Lala, I wore this at the temple." Everyone on the way from Texas had thought she had been talking nonsense, but she hadn't. She was actually a priestess.

And... yes, Caelia was older than her. That was just a fact. It didn't even occur to her that the fact stood out from the rest of the conversation because she was too busy trying to separate her fascination with her robe from everything she had deliberately not been thinking about. Until she heard the comment about pulling her sisters' hair and her eyes widened, jaw dropping a little. She was never going to question her mother, but... their hair? And Aurora at least wanted to--Door!

Still hugging her robe with one arm, Cheila skipped around Diana and Barnabas and - 'The other way.' - mostly straight for the front door. It wasn't that she wanted to get there before either parent, she just needed to know if their mother told it true. Because if she was wrong, then - then that's nothing I can think about because it hasn't happened. The door isn't even open. Why can't I open the door? She still wore a faint pout even as it clicked open and she realised her heart seemed to be in her mouth. "Oh! - Come in, both of you!" She wanted to hug, could almost feel herself going through the motions, but her arms remained where they were; one clinging to her robe and the other holding the door. "We've been waiting, but... Oh, I don't think we were finished." She paused a moment before smiling at them anyway. It didn't matter that she was also worried, she was just pleased to see them, yes? Yes. "Mother, father! They're here!" Just in case that had not carried.

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airspriestess
2011-07-27 03:59 am UTC (link)

When Barnabas made a remark about how Caelia was the older, Diana just gave him a look that said very clearly that thought was meant to be left a thought. Cheila didn't need to know what she was thinking about that matter. It was a private thought that needed a lot more time than she could currently give it and a discussion with Caelia besides. "And I know they're not little girls, Barnabas, but it's not healthy what they do and they're still my daughters." At the sound of someone at the door she glanced up, but before she could make a move to go and answer Cheila was already on her way out, robe still in hand. "It's good to see that she still likes that." Diana brushed her hair back out of her eyes as she stood, sliding her arm into Barnabas's as they walked to the front door to greet their twins. "Try not to read their thoughts too much, dear, it's storming and they've linked. I imagine it'd be messier than normal for you." The last thing that any of them needed was for Barnabas to suffer some sort of relapse and have to take to bed again.

"Yes, thank you Cheila." Diana smiled first at Cheila and then at the twins as they came into the house. Releasing her husband's arm she moved forward to sweep both of them into a tight hug. Despite the fact that they were twins and much better together she'd almost sensed that they'd managed to grow apart. Seeing them together, and smiling!, was far better. So was having two daughters who didn't pull away when all she wanted to do was show the affection that she'd been forced to hold inside for all of those years they were separated. "Darlings I am so glad to have you here. As Cheila said we're getting a room ready for you but we're not quite done. You can put your..." That was when she noticed that the twins were holding nothing. Diana's eyes sharpened slightly as she pulled back and gave them a closer look. Aurora had said, she was sure that she had said, that they were coming to stay. "Where are your things, Aurora?"

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findthethoughts
2011-07-27 05:13 am UTC (link)

So it seemed that that was a thought that he shouldn't have voiced. Barnabas inclined his head in apology towards his wife and decided that he'd do his best to not say anything in response to what he heard inside his head. Except I'm not sure if I'm actually hearing them speak or think. That was the most difficult part about all of this. He tried his best but that didn't seem to be good enough then. Not if Diana's looks and Cheila's were any indicator. Sighing, Barnabas nodded again when Cheila went breezing past to open the door that he hadn't even heard a knock or ring from. "Yes," he agreed about the robes. At Diana's recommendation regarding the twins he only sighed. He was truly starting to think that none of his family understood that he wasn't really able to keep a grasp of any sort on this. He was getting better about it but he still was nowhere near where he was supposed to be. Like an untrained teenager who sometimes could and sometime couldn't. Instead of explaining it for what had to have been the thirtieth time he just nodded. "Yes dear."

Barnabas released Diana easily when she went to embrace the twins, hanging back just a step as his mind was overwhelmed by theirs. Cheila's, Diana's and then the twins combined together. At least with them it was just like one very loud train of thought instead of two separate ones. He'd always thought it was good for them to have that connection and wondered sometimes if it was common to all twins that existed in the world. He remembered a book that he'd read somewhere in which someone had gone on about the relationships between twins and how they always seemed to know things about the others even when separated. Now that the Light of May had happened he had to wonder if anyone would do research on the nature of psychic connections between all of them. "Hello girls." At Diana's question he felt himself wincing a little. Then he spotted the car and motioned towards the man who was bringing a few bags in. "Right there, Diana. You didn't expect them to carry them did you?" They were little things after all. Not as little as Barnabas always remembered them, but still small.

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unseeingair
2011-07-27 07:09 am UTC (link)

The twins were just starting to guess who might be the one to answer the door when someone fumbled with it before pulling it open. Although Aurora was blind she saw in that very odd way what Aetheria did, a smile breaking across both of their faces when they saw Cheila standing there. "Cheila!" They chimed together, though Aetheria's voice was hardly even there. And then, despite the fact that she was holding a robe and had not made a move to hug them, they stepped forward to do so to her. Only to be interrupted when Diana arrived to sweep them up. It always felt so good to get a hug from Diana and somehow it seemed that she always carried the scent of home with her. "Hello mother, father." That was when they separated for the first time all day, Aetheria going to hug Barnabas while Aurora moved to Cheila. She knew that her older sister was still skittish about touch but she could not help herself. She had to tell her! Only that was interrupted when her mother asked where their things where.

At the same moment that Aetheria pointed Aurora spoke. "He's bringing it in, just like father said. We wouldn't have come without clothes, mom, you don't need to worry." She was not sure if the clothes were the sort that their parents or Cheila would approve of. Aetheria had shown her what it was that she was packing and most of it was alright, but there were a few outfits that were decidedly less so. IT was not surprising when one considered their line of work. "You have a whole room for us, really? Thank you!" But she had to tell Cheila, and not with Diana listening in. Think with father, Ae? I need to tell Cheila.

Alright. But I'm not sure if he's really hearing me or not. It's sort of sad, isn't it? I just want him to be better. Aetheria was pulling out her little writing pad to make it easier for Diana.

Me too. He will be! She hoped. This could not be like what had happened to Aetheria and impossible to hear. "Cheila," Aurora whispered, tugging at her hand before touching her face so that she could know where her ear was, leaning in and saying in a voice that was even quieter. "No one owned us at all. We belong to us. Can you believe it?" I'm sorry I worried you. She did not know that her eyes had gone a little wet, or that Aetheria's had as well.

We didn't know...

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importedair
2011-07-27 08:45 pm UTC (link)

It was terrible, she knew, to feel any kind of relief when Diana's move to hug the twins stopped what she believed what would have otherwise been a hug from both sides. And Cheila did feel guilty for it, truly. But since everyone had gathered to greet her sisters, she wasn't sure she could cope with both of them pulling her into a hug she wasn't at all ready for. Maybe she shouldn't have run for the door. She didn't actually know anything any sooner, didn't have an answer. Why had she thought she would? Oh, no... Her mother's question nearly made Cheila's heart stop, and she automatically looked to Barnabas for some kind of help, but Aurora was coming over, there was pointing and Air was fussing in her ear. It was confusing. Staying-staying? That man was definitely carrying luggage; Aurora said so and she had no reason to lie, but - I'm confused. That little section of thought repeated in her head several times over, while Cheila struggled with believing whether or not this was actually happening and continuing to keep certain thoughts away from her father.

Following the tugging Cheila forced herself not to react to having her face touched - Aurora was her sister - and briefly wondered how she was supposed to not think about what she was being told so Barnabas would not hear. She prayed she was not about to tell her something awful; she did not think she could keep much more from their mother. But what Aurora said next left Cheila dumb-struck and wide-eyed. No one? For a minute her mind was stuck on a circular stop-start pattern of thought, as she tried to understand but couldn't quite, and ultimately decided it didn't matter. Her sisters were free! All of them were. And now everything could - oh, but she was crying. Pulling back to study Aurora's face, she beamed through tears that were not meant to be there. "And I've been trying so hard not to cry since mother brought out my robe. I'm sorry." She was supposed to be happy - and she was! She was smiling and she meant it, but - 'Cheila, your mind needs to stop for just a moment.' No, she wasn't sure she knew how to do that.

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airspriestess
2011-07-27 09:29 pm UTC (link)

The winds had started to tug at the bottom of her dress, a result of her rising stress at the idea that the twins had only come for a short visit, when Barnabas pointed out the man bringing in the luggage and Aurora went and confirmed that yes, it was theirs. A brilliant smile broke out on Diana's face and she clapped her hands together once, pressing them to her mouth as she watched Aurora go to hug Cheila while Aetheria moved towards Barnabas. Good, it was good for all of them to be in on the hugging and greeting. "You can leave those right there," Diana informed the man with the bags, waving one hand vaguely towards the sitting room just to the other side of the door. "We'll take care of them later." Despite having excellent hearing like all air elementals Diana couldn't hear a word of what Aurora was saying to Cheila, but she saw the smile and the tears and had to wonder.

Her attention, however, focused in on Aetheria with her little writing pad and Barnabas. "Yes dear it is very good to have you both and it's the room right across from Cheila's. Have you seen Cheila's room? I know Aurora has." But unlike the days in the past where having one twin see meant that both did, this wasn't the same. Aurora and Aetheria separated far too much for Diana's comfort and she couldn't imagine that it was actually all that good for either of them. "I just found the ceremonial robes as well, see Cheila has hers. Is everything all right Cheila? Aurora?" Smiles and tears could go together but they didn't all that often and Diana couldn't help but feel a little bit of concern as to what had caused the latter.

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findthethoughts
2011-07-28 03:21 pm UTC (link)

There was just a bit too much happening right now for Barnabas. Diana's thoughts, Cheila's, Aurora's, Aetheria's... the last was the loudest and Barnabas supposed that was because she had wrapped her arms around him for a hug. Which he returned happily, kissing the top of Aetheria's head as she pulled away. Glancing over at Aurora he wondered what was so important to tell Cheila, catching only a glimpse of something that was supposedly a very happy thing. Shaking his head to try and clear the thoughts away, Barnabas realized that Diana was saying something to Aetheria and then something to their other daughters. He really, truly hated when he couldn't focus on anything. It was like his mind was actively trying to get in the way of him doing anything approaching useful. Normally in situations like this he'd be able to pick up bits of everything or at the least shut his telepathy off so that he didn't have to hear anything.

Sometimes he really wished that his problems with telepathy were that it didn't really work.

"It won't be that hard to find, it's not as though the house is that big." If Barnabas sounded distracted then that was because he was. By the flurry of thoughts running through his mind that didn't even the decency to just be his own. He did wish to know what was going on with Aurora and Cheila, though, so he tried to focus.

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unseeingair
2011-07-28 05:49 pm UTC (link)

Aurora knew that Cheila did not particularly like being touched, it made her sad to acknowledge that, but she had needed to do it or else she may well have whispered to her eye. And that would have just been uncomfortable for everyone involved. You're being silly. Yes, she knew that, but did Aetheria have to giggle at her? Yes! It's silly and I'm happy! We're here! Aetheria would forever be happy so long as she was pleasing others and it had been obvious from the moment that they stepped in the door and revealed that there was luggage with them that Diana, at the least, was very happy. Barnabas likely was as well and it was just harder for him to show it since his mind was slightly addled. How long did things like that last?

Oh, Cheila. Why was she sorry? "Why are you sorry?" Aurora asked, smiling even when she felt dampness on her sister's cheeks. "It's okay to cry, we did too, and we probably will again. We're happy to be here and we didn't think that it'd be possible." Even though she knew that Cheila really was not fond of being touched, Aurora could not bring herself to not wrap her arms around her for a tight hug. Mostly for her own comfort and to reassure herself that she was really here. "We're fine, mother," Aurora assured Diana as she released Cheila and turned to smile in their direction. She was incapable of lying so she just did not say what they had been talking about. "And you have our robes?" I want to see them! "We'd love to see them." Her hand went out to touch Cheila's, feeling the material and finding it to be much like she remembered. "Is Caelia here?"

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importedair
2011-07-30 02:56 am UTC (link)

'You're drawing attention.' I know. Hush. "Because you're here and I'm supposed to behave happier." Which sounded silly even to Cheila as the words left her mouth, but she had said it now and it had made perfect sense at the time. It still did to her. She was meant to be all smiling and cheerful and not-crying. She was supposed to be thrilled. She was, but the tears seemed to be a little contradictory unless to took them to be a happy sort of crying. Which they actually were. That still wasn't the point. Nor was the fact that Cheila could always find something to apologise for because it was simply in her nature. "But if you cry again I might not be able to stop," she pointed out through a sniffly laugh. It wasn't a threat, it was just true. She had been quite emotional since she'd found the rest of the family. She didn't always know what she was feeling, but there was always something there, tugging away at her.

Right at that moment, Dashiell could have jumped on Cheila and she would not have pulled away. In too much of a lingering state of shock to think about the action and too excited about the twins to tense up, she accepted the hug easily. Though she still wished she had hugged them both in the doorway. Diana's concern was the other reason Cheila supposed she apologised - crying worried people and that was the last thing she wanted to do. "We're fine," she echoed, turning the same smile on their mother. "I'm... just a little overwhelmed." True, but it was more than a little. She felt like she was going to burst. But the mention of the twins' robes pulled her thoughts elsewhere and her eyes lit up. "You both always look so beautiful in your robes." Present tense. Because even if their house was not the temple Cheila's mind was not ready to make it past tense. And Caelia... "Oh." Why wasn't she there? With a faint frown forming, Cheila looked to Diana. She didn't mean to judge her sister but the twins coming home seemed like the kind of thing everyone should be there for. And was father alright?

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airspriestess
2011-07-30 04:32 pm UTC (link)

When Diana had expressed her concern over Aurora and Cheila it seemed that Aetheria had been concerned, if the way that she moved to wrap an arm around her waist was any judge. Diana didn't object. She seemed to be nodding about something and, not for the first time, Diana wondered what it was that the twins were saying to themselves. Most twins seemed to have languages of their own when they were just little, but her twins had never needed it. They had a direct line to each other's thoughts and it worked far better. "No, but you know we can sometimes get lost easier than you, dear," Diana reminded Barnabas. Mind off what it was normally like or not he was still more able to get around than the rest of them. Being a Finder had something to do with that.

At Aurora's question about Caelia, Diana couldn't do anything but sigh, a slightly vexed look on her face. She had tried to get hold of her eldest daughter but it hadn't worked and now she wished twice as hard that it had. The twins deserved to have both of their sisters here and while Cheila was plenty good on her own she just wasn't two people. Caelia was the eldest and she had responsibilities that she was shirking. No, Diana didn't care that they were in America and that different rules applied. She did care that there may have been something wrong with her eldest and she wanted to know how to help fix it if possible, but if Cheila and the twins and Dashiell could return then why not her as well? The wind was starting to strengthen again and only Aetheria's tug at her dress alerted her to that. "You all look beautiful in your robes, and Dashiell looks handsome. He's still sleeping but I'm sure we can wake him up for this." His hair would be doing that cute thing where it was all sticking up. "As for Caelia... your sister doesn't seem to wish to be here right now. I'm sure that she'll come visit you later, sweethearts." Cheila was older and supposedly always closer with Caelia so if anyone in the family understood her reasons then it should be her. The twins? Not so much; they seemed permanently lodged in a half-childlike mindset.

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findthethoughts
2011-07-30 06:15 pm UTC (link)

The girls were fine. Barnabas had already known that, their thoughts were confusing but still didn't paint an image of them being damaged more than usual, but it was good for them to say it to reassure Diana. He may not have been all there but he was fully aware of the fact that when Diana got upset about anything the weather reacted. It was already storming and she could be very much like a living lightning rod. And out of all the people in their family he was the only one who wasn't immune to lightning bolt strikes. Hadn't that been how her last husband had died? Yes, that had been how, and Barnabas had spent their entire marriage absolutely refusing to go anywhere outside or too near to a window when Diana was in a mood. It was for his own safety and everyone, perhaps even Diana herself, understood that.

"Let the boy sleep," Barnabas interjected for the first time since he'd come out. "He doesn't so well and when he does it's good for him to get as much as he can." At that, his eyes flicked over to Cheila briefly. He knew that the same was true of her as well. Did any of them sleep well anymore? "I'm fine, Cheila, just having a little difficulty with all of the thoughts that are going on." Such as right there when he went and answered a question that hadn't even been asked. "Be easy on Caelia, she's having trouble readjusting to all of us." Cheila had touch issues and Caelia did as well, but Caelia also seemed to have issues with just spending time with them. Barnabas wanted to know why, but Caelia hadn't been around when he had control enough to ask and find out. "You should all try on your robes see how lovely you all look together." Three was better than none.

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unseeingair
2011-07-31 06:22 am UTC (link)

"Tears can be a sign of happiness," Aurora felt the need to point out even as she fighting back the urge to wipe all of Cheila's tears away. Happy or not she did not want to feel her older sister crying because of her. She wanted her to smile and laugh and feel something like she had once upon a time when the world was not ruined. "But we'll try not to cry." Aetheria echoed the statement inside of Aurora's mind. See, this was so much an easier way to get along with each other when they could just hear the thoughts. And Aurora did not have to worry about keeping some of her thoughts and emotions hidden away in a dark place so that Aetheria did not have to see them and worry about her. If I ever worried about you then you know that I had a reason to do so. Aurora nodded and would have taken her twin's hand if Aetheria was not busy hugging their mother while Aurora lingered near to Cheila. I know Ae.

"We all look beautiful in our robes, Aetheria says," Aurora supplied on behalf of her twin. And if Aetheria and Cheila said it was so then it had to be true. Aurora would not ever dream of disagreeing with something that was state as truth by two of her siblings. The news that Caelia was not, and would not, be there was a little disheartening though and Aurora blinked over at Cheila, suddenly needing to take her hand to assure herself that at least this other sister was here. At least Cheila was not going to run away and stay away from them. Why would Cae - I don't know. None of us do. I want her here too. They agreed on that, both of them wanted their oldest sister to be here and happy for them. Because they adored her and to have her missing made both of them feel as though there was something wrong with all of them. "She's not staying away because of us is she?" Aurora wanted to feel their robes, and she wanted to listen to her father, but she wanted to know if it was something that she or Aetheria had done. "If she really needs us to not touch her then we can..."

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importedair
2011-07-31 05:00 pm UTC (link)

In truth, Cheila just did not want to see the twins cry because today was supposed to be their day. For them to be happy in a place where she knew they could and would be happy. Or in the very least happier. Where none of them had to worry about them any more (but probably would anyway) and everything could begin to settle again. But an accidental nudge from her familiar made her decide that was selfish of her. Rubbing the tears from her eyes, she shook her head. "You can if you feel like you need to, I'm being silly." And selfish. She had no place suggesting her sisters shouldn't cry. Not if they wanted to. Sometimes it just made you feel better.

"Dash fell out of bed last night and couldn't get back to sleep," Cheila put in to support her father's point, despite the winds her mother had summoned just moments ago. He had actually woken with a start and flown out of bed, but she wasn't putting that in for everyone to hear. She didn't need to see Barnabas look at her to accept the general awareness of the fact she only knew her brother had fallen because she had already been awake herself. Either way, she beamed at his answer to the question she barely remembered thinking. "Good - oh, but I shall try to think less." 'A physical impossibility.' But Caelia. There were wisps of irritation in the air and Cheila was surprised to realise that for once she wasn't sure if they were coming from her mother, her element in general or actually from her. Was Air just agreeing with her? With both of them? What was Diana annoyed about, then? Because Cheila truly adored her older sister, but there were certain things that older sisters were supposed to do. It wasn't just about the gods or about the temple - though all of that was very, very important! - it was about the family. Barnabas was better but not fully well and he had been worse, but where had she been? She knew Caelia did not consider her quite to be their father as Cheila did, but he was part of the family nevertheless and that meant something. Their mother had not been alright. Where was Caelia? Dashiell, the twins - their younger siblings! They were both, as older sisters, supposed to be looking after them and where was she? Cheila was having trouble readjusting to everyone, but she was there and she was trying her hardest. Where was her sister? She had learned more of Caelia's well-being from one of her friends than she had from her. 'Cheila, you're not supposed to be thinking and you're calling winds.' "No - no, she isn't staying away because of you! You mustn't think that." She squeezed Aurora's hand gently. This wasn't fair on the twins.

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airspriestess
2011-07-31 09:20 pm UTC (link)

If Dashiell didn't sleep well then he needed to go to bed earlier. That was Diana's personal view on the matter and she didn't see that she needed to change it. When she didn't sleep well she still went through all of the daily activities that were necessary. But he was her baby, although she did have a terrible habit of thinking of Aurora as such, and so Diana didn't say that. Later they could have all of them minus Caelia in their robes just as it'd once been even if the setting had changed. "Then we'll let him sleep." She did give Cheila a direct look though, knowing that the only way she'd know that was if she'd also been awake. Diana knew that her daughter didn't sleep that well, she'd gotten up in the middle of the night and noticed that Cheila wasn't sleeping. "You will all look beautiful. Come with me." She kept a hold on Aetheria as she turned, having noticed that Aurora had attached herself to Cheila.

Even though they were moving Diana turned to give a slight glare to her husband for defending Caelia after she'd not exactly said anything harsh against her. He must have been referring to her thoughts. Besides that, listen to what Aurora had said and what Aetheria must've been thinking. To hear that her twins thought that they'd done something to keep Caelia away was heart-rending and she made a note to herself to have words with her daughter about that the next time that she saw her. Whatever Caelia's reasons for staying away she must've realized that things had happened to all of them and yet they all were trying just that little bit harder than her. And she was the eldest. She was the one who was meant to be trying the hardest. Thoughts from a civilization that Caelia may well have left behind if the past few weeks were any indication. "What Cheila said, darling you must never think that Caelia is staying away because of you. Because of any of you. It's her and her alone and you've done nothing wrong." The winds that were swirling in the house weren't only her creation and she glanced over her shoulder at Cheila again. It seemed that her daughter had picked up quite a few traits from her when it came to control or lack there of. "And we are all very happy to have you here. Ecstatic. Even the gods will be pleased." To have a whole family of their followers here in this place where no one else believed in them? Of course they'd be happy.

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findthethoughts
2011-08-01 11:05 pm UTC (link)

Being a telepath around this family could be a true problem. In the same way that it could be around everyone else. Only here they were all air elementals and their thoughts were as fluid and changeable as the wind so he couldn't really be blamed when he lost track of who was thinking what, when they had thought it or even why. Thoughts about being owned, bought and sold -- those were the worst and he knew without focusing that they had come from the girls, he knew although he'd tried to ignore it, that they hadn't had easy lives -- were overwhelmed by ones that dealt with Caelia and how she was supposed to be here. Diana was upset, he knew that just by the way that the winds were stirring up. Winds that didn't belong inside of the house since the windows and doors were all shut tight. But not just Diana, no, Cheila was adding to it. It seemed that she'd inherited her mother's lack of control despite being a master as well as multiple other traits.

"Of course we're delighted to have you." Had he missed other parts of the conversation? It wouldn't have been the first time, and nor was it the first time that he felt the pangs of a headache beginning to form. Rubbing at his temple he managed to smile at the four women. "We'll let Dashiell sleep." Had they already decided that? "But I think... that if you don't need my help any longer I'll go and lay down. My head is beginning to hurt. And no, it's not any of your fault." That was directed instinctively at Cheila. It was the demon's fault.

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