RP:Mama Coin
Date: 2.5.18 (Morning after the Schezerade election results)
Summary: After the long night of taking the loss and traveling into Kelay under the cover of night, Niall takes Brennia back to his home where she will be safe. The next morning Brennia confirms Susanna’s suspicions that she is pregnant.
Coin Family Farm
A winding, wagon rutted path leads through the ancient Kelay trees. Sunlight dapples the old dirt road, inviting and warm, as the sounds of the forest surround you. The end of this travel and weather worn road leads to a cozy farmstead. Surrounded by a rolling expanse of fields, some plowed and others green with new growth or bursting with the color of a ripened crop, stands a sturdy old farm house, stables, and barn. Chickens and geese roamed freely. Sheep and cows lazed behind fences to the west. The barn was a massive thing, a ways from the home and connected to the stables, fashioned from red wood and filled with hay and tools. The stables housed handsome, sturdy draft horses and two mules. During the day light they grazed the open fields or were put to work. The home crouched in the middle of it all. Fashioned with oak and labouring, love filled hearts, the Coin family home was a lovely, impressive thing. A porch wrapped around the two story building, carefully tended flowerbeds neatly adding splashes of green and color to the stained wood. A swing and rocking chairs, potted flowers and decorative iron art added life to the wide space. The stairs lead to heavy, green painted double doors that were propped open in agreeable weather or closed and glowing with light in pretty stained windows otherwise.
The interior was open and welcoming, filled with sunlight and sound. The ceilings were high, the foyer open to the living room and the winding staircase that lead to the second floor. There was a mudroom to the left, filled with men’s shoes and coats, a few tools and more than a little mud. The living room was cozy. Fresh flowers and painted portraits of boys crowded the mantle of a wide hearth. A wooden shield was hung proudly, the Coin family crest painted in bold colors. A huge, wide window boasted a view of the barn and a small pond, the corn growing the the field just beyond that. The kitchen was wide, typically filled with the aromas of food and the soft humming of the Coin matriarch. The upstairs was crowded with rooms, all neatly kept they way her boys left them in the case of her son’s rooms, or fresh and ready for guests and visiting family in the case of the spare.
Brennia had woken up early, mostly because there was a rooster warning everyone of the large fiery thing rising in the sky… Can it not? The smell of breakfast foods wafting to the rooms woke her up even further and it suddenly felt as if she hadn’t eaten in ages. She pulls on a large sweater that hung loosely on her and simple cotton leggings under it before slipping on her soft leather boots. She stops and looks at herself in the mirror to see just how tired she looked atop of the defeat that is still weighing her heart down like an anchor, but she had deeply wished it was all just a dream... Well, aside from the ride to Kelay from Xalious with Niall, he seemed to know how to make things seem better. Teal eyes narrow at her own wings and she nearly felt like casting them aside and forsaking her race entirely, but they would win then… It was in this self doubting moment that something happened unexpectedly as the ink which used to decorate all her skin resurfaced and swirled, but left Brennia in control. This has never happened before and then she paused as if listening to something before giving herself one curt nod. Brennia hummed three simple notes and the ink slipped and shifted toward her wings to blend which caused those glorious things to shrink down and disappear… A whisper of, “thank you Raven.” Before she made her way out of the room the Coins allowed her to use even though she can never get sleep when she knew Niall was near and on top of that Queenie choose to sleep in her borrowed bed last night over Niall’s. She paused in the hallway where her and Niall shared an awkward exchange of lies in the middle of the night that she was looking for the washroom and he was grabbing some water… The mastiff followed her out toward the kitchen and Brennia greets Susanna, then Malachi, who give the tall woman a second glance at the change, but didn’t mention anything about it as Brennia helps set the table. Miss Coin kindly asks, “Raven, I know you don’t eat meat, but what of eggs?” It’s sort of a grey area isn’t it? Brennia politely declines and settles for a bowl of cut up fruit just as a large stack of flack jacks were set down in the middle of the table which caused the avians mouth to water while watching the steam dance in the rise off them… Brennia politely asks, “may I?” Susanna chuckles at the woman with an encouraging nod while the bard sneaks a piece of bacon for Queenie as well.
Niall would have branded Queenie a traitor for choosing Raven over him if that hadn't been exactly what he’d hoped she would do. The old girl was in love with the avian though and good at sensing moods. Raven needed her more than Niall would… Though, he wouldn’t deny wishing he could follow her to her room too… Only, his mother had made herself plenty clear that wasn’t happening. “Aw you dear girl,” She’d told Rae. “I’ll make sure the guest room is all set up for you and Niall can get the spare blankets from his room,” The way his mother had cut her eyes at him made it clear where he would be expected to sleep. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t prowl the hall to make sure she was sleeping well. She wasn’t, obviously, because they had run into each other and both promptly pretended they were doing anything other than checking up on one another… Now it was morning, Niall was practiced at ignoring the old rooster though and so he slept much later than most. His Ma’s cooking reached his room eventually though, so he rolled out of bed and meandered his way down the stairs and to the kitchen. His hair was askew, pillow marked and defying gravity a little. He hadn't bothered with a shirt. His eyes found Rae first, even before the food, and he felt as if he were looking into the sun to see her. “Mornin’ beautiful,” He drawls, smiling sleepily at her… Before remembering himself and pulling his Ma into a one armed hug. “Mornin’, Ma,” He grins as she swats him with her spoon and shoos him to the table. He sits, scoots his chair closer to Raven and grins. “How about I sho-” But his sentence trails off. His hand moves to touch her back, a look of worry passing like a dark cloud over his face. “Raven,” He breathes her name like a prayer. “What… Do you need a doctor or?”
Brennia heard him coming, but dared not look up from her plate when he said good morning to her that way in front of his parents because she surely would blush, “it is a beautiful morning, Niall.” He moved onto his mother by now and when she looked to him then, in that moment, she didn’t see that Malachi was watching her watching his son… He knows the look even if it does only show in the guarded woman’s eyes, smirks to himself, and goes back to his breakfast. Brennia wasn’t looking anywhere, but to her food or Niall’s face and his unfortunate hair situation, “hm?” She quirked a subtle brow at the start of his sentence, but his worry about her struck her to the core and before she answers him she wonders how she deserved to become friends with such a kind soul like him. That half smirk slowly showing as Queenie was begging for more bacon, “oh, it’s nothing. They are still there, but hidden with the help of enchanted ink…. I’ll tell you all about it sometime.” A teal eyes travel to mama Coin as she finally sat with them, “speaking of doctors. How have you been feeling, Susanna?” A hesitant addition of, “I know I said the bards at the college could detect if you are with child, but… as you can assume we cannot go there for now.” She suppresses the urge to run off and have a cry about it alone as she still cannot accept she doesn’t have a home anymore. After attempting to make her subtly sad face into a thoughtful one during an awkward silence, “I think I have got enough power back to do it myself if you feel up to it?” Teal eyes finally look back up to Niall’s parents and trying to avoid his angry expression, “it’s the least I could do for your generous hospitality.”
Niall || “He wasn’t talking about the morning, honey,” Susanna says with a wink to Raven before she went back to humming, flipping the bacon she was frying. Niall was frowning at Rae though. He misses the knowing look from his father, the one he passed and had returned by his mother. “Enchanted ink…” Niall scratches at his beard. It could really use a trim. “Sure,” He scoops a giant portion of eggs onto his plate with one hand, stuffs a biskit in his mouth with the other. “Oh,” Susanna beams at the avian, her hand instantly going to her stomach in a absent gesture. “I’ve been feeling well,” Followed with laughter. “You know, with this one,” She points her spoon at Niall, “I had cravings for something just about every day. I was eating anything and everything in front of me and look at him now!” Niall, who had just finished piling mounds of food on his plate made a face at his mother but could only make a grunt, “Waaa?” around the food in his mouth. The older woman suddenly put down her spoon and crossed the kitchen to place a quick, motherly kiss on the top Raven’s head. She heard the sadness in her tone and felt a mother’s pain in her heart. Niall frowned watching them and forked more food into his face. He simultaneously wanted to punch the Flewminati and run screaming from the talk of babies. “I’d love that,” His Ma says sincerely. “With my age, hearing any news that the little girl I’m carrying is happy and healthy would be a blessing beyond measure.” Malachi and Niall share a dark look from across the table but remain silent.
Brennia had stuffed her mouth with pancake making her unable to retort to mama Coin, as if she would! The avian is also missing these looks when she stole another glance at Niall who was making a mess in his beard and found herself half smirking the way she does. Brennia was taken by surprise at Susanna’s kind gesture and rather than shrinking away she had closed her eyes in their moment to accept the kiss on her head, but it didn’t feel odd when it should - she could very well be a great grandmother to them with how old she is. “Thank you Susanna,” she softly said while looking up at the woman and feeling taken care of was rare for her. Brennia finishes her breakfast while they all talk about what is to come in the avain’s journey and she would mention she doesn't have all of the answers at the moment, but she feels that she must disappear to save the city from the shadows. Once everyone was done she would help Susanna clean up and if the wonderful woman protested she would make the excuse that the quicker they do the cleaning together the quicker she can find out if she is with child and the sex of the child! This works on Susanna and she would slyly give a victorious wink to Niall. Once everyone is situated at the home the avian suggests, “now. I maybe we make you comfortable in your own room, would you like Malachi with us?” She was asking while pulling out different vialls from the deceptively normal knapsack she packed last night. A glance to Niall’s wild tendrils and she hands him a tonic, “this will smooth your hair.” No one would guess Brennia actually as really curly hair due to her mixed ethnicity and it’s all thanks to a few drops of that same tonic. “A-hah,” she pulls out a deep red looking potion bottle and gives it to Susanna, “drink this. I promise it is nothing that will harm you or the child, but it helps me see what I am looking at.” It didn’t taste awful either and once she gets the go ahead from a propped up Susanna, Brennia would begin first with placing her warm hands on the woman’s bare belly… A silent moment while she gently hums something that sounds like a lullaby while those striking teal eyes focus only on the woman’s tummy.
Niall ’s brows knit together in confusion at the look Rae gives him. He swipes a napkin at his beard self consciously but doesn’t slow down with the food. Queenie gives him eyes and he slips her another piece of bacon, unaware that she has been spoiled by Raven this morning as well. Niall is for the most art quiet for this conversation, assuming her plans involve him, and he lets his Ma and Pa offer what little advice they can. “And darlin’,” Malachi drawls, sounding much like his youngest son, “You’re always welcome here. Even if our boy here has gone off on some money chase,” He takes the hat that he’d sat beside him and swats at his son’s arm teasingly. Niall snorts at his father and steals fruit off of Raven’s plate. As Susanna and Raven tidy, much to both Niall and Malachi’s surprise, they make off to tend a few of the farm chores. Susanna nervously fills the time with chatter of her pregnancy, her anxiousness an all tangible as they work. They’ve finished and the older woman has just finished making a pitcher of cold sweet tea when the men return. Niall stomps the mud off of his boots and winks at Raven. “I’d like for him to be there,” Susanna would answer. Niall and his father share another look as she leads the way to her room. She makes herself comfortable on the old, sturdy bed and waits for the avian’s instruction. Niall gives Rae a look when she hands him the tonic and runs a hasty hand through his wild hair. Malachi snorts at him as he leaves the room. As Niall walks the length of the hallway restlessly, Susanna follows Raven’s orders and drinks the tonic without hesitation. “I trust you, honey.” She says honestly, mossy eyes looking at her with adoration and nervousness. “I’m ready when you are.” Her husband scoops up her hand in both of his and holds it tight.
Brennia tuned in to all around them… She counted the heartbeats within the closest vicinity to her, mama Coin, papa Coin and she could feel their nervousness so she focuses and adds a soothing charm to her humming. It wasn’t aimed to falsify their emotions, just calm it if they allowed her to and a slight distraction when she caught Niall’s outside the door and his pacing. His was not the same as the ones she felt in the room and maybe it was selfish, but she took a moment to memorise the way it beat in her mind; stronger than most yet slower. Silence fell outside her melody and she closed her eyes now while her warm hands gently smoothed over Susanna's belly as the anticipation fills the room… Brennia pulled back after she softly tugged the woman's shirt back down, then reaching to take mama Coin’s free hand and smiling like she did before when she met them; rare and truly genuine, “you are with child… And -she- is a strong one.” She waits for the news to sink in.
Niall || The room itself seemed to still and hold its breath as Raven worked her magic. Susanna watched her work, listened to the achingly beautiful sound of her humming and had tears springing to her eyes. “Oh,” She whispered softly, as Malachi’s grip eased and Niall’s pacing slowed. They all waited. “Oh!” The woman breathes again, when Rae finally announces what she sees. “Yes, yes she is!” Her excited tone carried into the hall. As Malachi moved to wrap his arms around his wife, who was weeping with joy, Niall flew through the door. He looked wild, anxious but excited by the tone in the room. With quick strides he’s beside Raven and moving to touch her arm gently. “All is well?” He asks in a low tone, watching is parents enjoy their moment.
Brennia was watching Niall’s parents as well and she was happy that Malachi came around if only for the moment… She felt good about being able to do this for his family and felt his hand on her arm, but when she looked up at him she remembered, “yes, but there is just one thing… I am not sure if it’s to have much to do with concern, but I found the heartbeat to be quite similar to Niall’s and his ability.” Surely those long pointy ears were blushing under the cover of her hair when she tore her gaze away from him because she just admitted to knowing his and it all felt a little intimate now. She was not looking to his parents, “again - I don’t know what it means or even if she will be the same, but I wanted to make sure you knew all the facts.” A kind smile given to his parents while she now took Niall’s arm, “we will leave you two to have a moment alone.” It was probably going to get very mushy in there, but she was dreading this next part - “let’s get some air?” She would take Niall’s lead out of the home since he knows it better than her, but once they were alone she would start, “Niall?” Looking back up to him, “about having to disappear…”
Niall || Susanna didn’t seem surprised at Raven’s statement. She nodded her head, “Yes,” Her hand moved to her stomach again. “With Niall, I could tell something was different. I felt as if I knew him before he was born. With her, I feel the same.” Niall and his father share another look. Women were magical, confusing creatures and maybe the whole lot of them were witches. But Malachi pulls his eyes away from his son to gaze lovingly down at his wife. He pulls her into a long kiss as Raven astutely ushers Niall away. He was making a face, the kind most kids do when they see their parents being mush. He wrinkled his nose at them and then gave Rae a ‘Ewww’ look followed by a mischievous grin. “You’re amazing,” He says as they walk out. “Thank you for puttin’ Ma’s mind at ease like that, it really means a lot and-” He pauses, scratches at his beard. “Yeah? What about? I’ll be packed in no time if you wanna leave soon but I don’t see a rush. We should get you a good mount match soon though. I think you’ll like the stables.” Queenie trots up then, butting Niall’s hand with her wide, wrinkled head and gives Raven a sweet look.
Brennia blushes more at his compliment and nods once, “it was the least I could do. I’m excited for her, really.” She seems restless and it was different than her usual calm she emitted, “no rush at all. It’s so peaceful here in its own way and your parents are such a joy that I wish I could stay much longer…” is forever enough? “It’s just… With everything going on. I think you should stay home to protect your mother, father and Queenie. I’ve got some contacts that I must meet on my own and they will help me,” she glanced down at the look Queenie was giving her, “please don’t look at me like that.” A soft frown downcasts her plump lips, “and I know… I know it’s not what you want to hear, Niall.” She was looking back up into his eyes confidently, “I need to be out there fighting this somehow and in my own way and…” She had stopped pacing before him and looked down at the space between their feet as she finished quietly and lamely, “and I hope you could believe in me too.”
Niall looks at Raven as if she’d just sprouted three heads and told him pigs could fly. “Protect my…” Under his breath he turns the air blue. “You’re tryin’ to leave without me?” Disbelief and anger colored his tone. “Rae,” He starts. “You can’t be serious. I’m going with you. No one here needs me for anything. My father can hold his own. What do you even think we need protection from anyway? We’re ferriers, farmers, caravan workers. At any given time my father, two of my brothers and a hand full of farm hands are on this land. Who the hell needs me more than you right now?” His voice has risen but he isn’t yelling. Yet. Queenie whines low. Niall glares at her and her bark echoes loudly in the hallway. “Believe in you?” His tone is incredulous. “Of course I believe in you but that has nothing to do with this. This is about keeping you safe. This about you running off into danger for no reason.”
Brennia does need him, but she also needs some time to think about what that means. The thought of him coming to harm again or even dying made it feel like she was free falling in through to skies really do plummet to the ground. “I hear you, Niall. I do, but I need to stay steps ahead of the Flewminati. There is this new evil as well and that cannot be good for anyone. I’m going to be moving from town to town and changing my name and face everywhere I go. I am not about to take you from Queenie again - I felt bad enough when you were staying at the campus…” She looked away, tears stinging her eyes, but never falling. “I apologize, Niall, but this is just something I feel I must do and I hope you will allow me to visit when traveling through?” When she looked back up at him she seemed hopeful and without knowing it she was giving him that ‘puppy dog’ expression once more. A hand reaches out aiming to hold his cheek, but she thinks better on it, “I will not allow myself to be a burden on anyone.” She would attempt to step around him and wonder about the farm if he lets her. Maybe he needs a moment to cool off.
Niall was working up a real good mad, as his Pa would say. He shakes his head in disbelief at Raven. Underneath his beard he is frowning. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” He paces away from her, feeling as if they both needed a little space for what was working into an argument. “I’m going with you. Queenie is fine,” She barks again and he gives a sharp, angry whistle that has her whining. “I’ll move around. I do that for work anyway. I’ll wear a hood or change my face too. But you’re crazy if you think I’ll let you walk away again, Raven.” He runs an angry hand over his beard. “I watched you leave once, knowing damn well you were going into danger, and I…” He what? Felt as if he would go mad and jump right out of his own skin if he didn’t see her safe again? How could he tell her that? Instead he shakes his head and says nothing. In the heavy quiet Raven moves to go around him and he clenches his hands and lets her go. Queenie gives him a hurt look and trots after her. After a while, the door opens and Malachi strolls into the hall. The old man shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks on his heels. “You’re a damn fool,” He says, his brows winging at his son. Niall curses again, throwing up a hand and walking away to find Rae.