High Noon (Open RP)

[Samantha Stoneridge]

Sam sighed, grumbling to herself as she swept up the remnants of what should have been a bottle. She added the pieces to the rubbish bin containing the remnants of the other five she'd dropped in her short time here and shook her head. Wondering why she even bothered messing with glass with her clumsy hands, she wiped the sweat from her brow and took a step away from the furnace. It was hot enough in the desert, but the workshop was an oven with the midday sun beating down outside.

A high pitched squeal from across the room caught her attention and she smiled, looking across the room to her daughter. The wide-eyed Elfess holding the baby looked like she was debating between finding a medico, or just dropping the child and running.

"She's fine. Just discovering her voice, and all the sounds she can make." Sam chuckled.

The Elfess nodded, not looking completely convinced as the baby resumed bouncing on her lap. Sam watched them for a moment, smiling to herself. The two were getting along well, and she was pretty sure that the Elfess no longer expected horns to sprout from the babe's head... though the screeching noises Phoenix was fond of recently might change that opinion.

Moving towards the open door in hopes of catching a slight breeze, the chubby woman sighed again. She lifted her braid off the back of her neck, and fanned herself with her free hand. They had moved here in the winter, and she hadn't realized just how brutal the summer would be. Lighter gowns, pulled back hair, staying in the shade, and lots of water helped. But in the end, she still awaited dusk like a child counting the days until their birthday. It was a big change from Galmair, and she wasn't sure she'd ever adjust.

Glancing towards the sky to check the position of the sun, Sam groaned. It was barely noon. There would be little respite from the heat anytime soon. Another screech from behind her had her grinning again, and she glanced over her shoulder.

"Alright, I give up." she blew a stray lock of hair from her face. "She will be ready to eat soon, and I'm not sure I can nurse without being completely miserable. What do you say we go on a trip? I'll pay for the teleporter."

Sam moved back in the room to gather her things.

"Just let me run back to the inn for my coat and a change of clothes." she looked to the Elfess with an impish smile. "I'm dying to jump in Malachite Creek, and I'll need something dry to wear while I plant."

[Kamilar]

The elfess seemed not quite at ease. Perhaps it was the heat - though she'd lived for years in the desert, she had recently taken to spending her nights in colder climes - or perhaps it was trying to keep the squealing baby occupied that had her slightly off balance. The elfess was placid enough, making silly faces at the baby and eliciting streams of bubbly laughter. Still, every so often when she was sure Sam was occupied, she'd sneak a closer look at the baby's head or take a whiff of the enticing baby scent.

The baby squeezed her chubby fists tightly around one finger on each of the elfess' hands and wobbled as she tried to stand. The sound of the glass shattering at the other end of the room startled Phoenix and she fell back onto her padded bottom. Undeterred, the baby grabbed at folds of the elfess' skirt and pulled herself to a tenuous standing position once more while the elfess nodded at the woman's suggestion. "You can swim, I can teach Phoenix how to play a drum," she said with a mischievous smile.

As Sam returned with a packed bag, the elfess scooped the baby up and cradled her on one hip, following the woman to the teleporter. Phoenix made a demanding squeal and reached for the parchment controlling the device, sending them on a teleporter tour before they finally arrived in Galmair just a few minutes behind Sam.

[Samantha Stoneridge]

Sam barely contained a grin as the pair appeared at the teleporter. Quickly catching the baby's hands as she reached for the pages again, the woman made a grand show of pretending to nibble on the tiny fingers until the elfess stepped safely away. She slipped the elfess a few more coins with a chuckle.

"I'll only be a few minutes. I just want to cool off a bit. Good luck keeping her amused with a drum. She's crawling more, and figuring out she can get to things she wants. The grass here is much better for her than the sand though." Sam smiled, looking around as they headed towards the water. "Just keep her away from the dogs... they may not take her abuse as well as Bruce does."

The woman slipped off only her boots, jewelry and cloak, dropping them on top of her bag before wading into the water with a sigh of relief. After a moment, she made quick work of untangling her braid and took a deep breath, sinking below the surface for a moment and relishing in the cold. Splashing a little water towards her companions, Sam laughed and dove under a few more times until chattering teeth forced her to the bank.

"I never thought I'd see the day where I relished a freezing bath..." she grinned, wringing out her hair. She moved towards her bag and rummaged inside. Her skirt and hair still dripping, she paused to kiss the baby's head, narrowly avoiding a bruise as the child beat excitedly on the drum. Chuckling, she made her way towards a small group of trees.

"If you have any work... or visiting to do, just let me know." Sam called out as she changed. "I'm not as worried over her out here. Nothing to burn or cut herself on. Though I do appreciate an extra set of eyes in case I dig up one of Cherga's minions."

She grinned again as she emerged, moving to tuck the jewelry inside the bag and gather the rest of her things. She nodded towards the fields. "Maybe her new musical talents will keep the creatures at bay?"

The soil felt good between her toes, and she had nearly gotten her field planted when Phoenix began fussing for lunch. Settling on the bench she cooed at the child. "Now now, you'll have Granny out here, ready to beat me for neglecting you." she nodded towards the inn as the babe latched on with an impatient sigh. "Or are you hoping to attract little Miss Ember?"

Looking to the elfess, Sam smiled. "I really do thank you for your help recently. It's nice to be out doing things again without worrying over how I'll keep her entertained and safe while I work." she chuckled, shifting the babe a little. "And it's lovely to talk with someone who can speak. Dogs and babies are wonderful companions, but horrible conversationalists."

[Evie]

A loud bubbly laugh comes from the balcony on the roof of the Inn. A small child stands there waving down saying enthusiastically "Aunt 'am, Aunt 'am! Want to see baby!" The child is pulled back from the railings and talked to by and elderly halfling woman as she bounces about excitedly.

[Samantha Stoneridge]

Sam laughs, glancing towards the balcony and waving. She leans down and whispers in a conspiratorial tone to the babe. "Now you've done it... they'll both be after us! Miss Ember is in for a surprise when she sees how much you're moving though. Won't be long before we're chasing you both across the fields."

She gives the Elfess a mischievous grin. "I do hope you weren't planning on a peaceful visit?"

[Azure Lynch]

Azure arrives to galmair and sees the elfess his wife and baby. Greetings he says as be moves to the fire everything. Going OK. Azure looks a little distracted. But after a bit of watching and listening he finally speaks again. Have you heard the rumors. Of annabeth demise. I won't believe it until I see a body. But if she is or not we will be fine my love.

[Kamilar]

The elfess slipped away as the woman nursed the baby then quickly returned with a small drum and a wooden spoon as they finished the feeding. "I've enjoyed spending time with her," the elfess said in reply to the woman before looking toward the ruckus on the rooftop with a soft chuckle. "I'm game for some commotion if you are," she added with a devious glint in her eye as she presented the drum to the baby and demonstrated how to bang a spoon against it.

The elfess was still occupied with the baby and the drum when Azure approached. She gave him a polite smile then nodded vaguely in response to his words though she couldn't hear a thing over the noise.

[Samantha Stoneridge]

Sam furrows her brows, straining to hear him over the "music" as she shakes her head. "No I hadn't heard a thing... shame." A piercing shriek from Phoenix catches her attention, but the babe just smiles and does it again. Sam shouts to try and be heard over the noise. "Starling, I was okay with drums, but we never discussed singing... The militia will think the town is under attack!" She laughs as the child lets loose with another shrill noise, sending herself into a fit of giggles.

[Kyre]

On her way to meet Oxi, the witch stops to lock the door as the children, even the toddler disappear running north on the road. Quickly jamming the key in the lock only half looking, she finally turns to run after them admonishing them to wait but is unheard in all the noise. Worried about monsters in town along with a number of other possibilities, Kyre runs as fast as she is able until reaching the Inn, then pants slightly out of breath looking at the scene as the children run around excitedly.