“Mama?” Rassa’s voice was soft and curious as she looked up at her mother. She liked to watch her mother work the dough and turn it into pretty shapes and sometimes even pretty colors.
“Yes sweetheart?” Sina hummed, keeping most of her focus on the dough as she kneaded it on the flour covered counter.
“There’s a day just for mama’s right?”
Sisina felt herself smile. “Yes, that was earlier this year. I liked your card very much.”
“If there’s a day for mommies, is there a day for daddies too?” Little feet clad in green slippers kicked back and forth, as she watched.
Her mother frowned a little, turning to look at her youngest child. “Yes, of course.”
Rassa tilted her head to the side, looking curious. “When is it? I wanna make something for Daddy.”
“Well it’s...” Sisina trailed off, her brow furrowing for a moment. “It’s uh...” A look of dawning horror on her face. “Sh-” she started to swear before looking at her baby. “shhhhugar snaps.” It didn’t exactly hold the same “oomph” but there were a lot of sacrifices that were made in becoming a parent. Swearing like a sailor was one. Those beautiful green eyes were staring at her and she sighed. “I’m sorry sweetie, I forgot. It’s already passed.”
“Mama!” Rassa complained indignantly.
“I know, I know, I’m so sorry sweetheart. I just... I forgot I’m so sorry.” It wasn’t like she’d normally needed to remember the date. Most of her children’s biological fathers hadn’t been in their lives very much. But with Ro back... How could she have forgotten? Had he been gone when the actual date had gone by? Had she just utterly blanked it out?
“Well we gotta fix it!” The little girl stood up on the chair, stomping her foot. She huffed as her mother scooped her up and set her on the ground.
“Don’t do that, you might fall.” Sina scolded before running her hand over her hair, sending a nice white streak of flour through it. Her daughter was right though, this wasn’t something she could just let be. Ro’liath hadn’t actually said anything about it but that didn’t mean that it shouldn’t and couldn’t be fixed. All that had to be done was a little planning...
Four days later, everything was ready. All of the children were on board and even Clissa seemed to look forward to doing something for the strange man who she’d come to know as a father figure of sorts. Kyre had taken Ro’liath to the market under the pretenses (and actual necessity) of getting groceries for their home.
On the table there was a small cake, decorated pristinely with little flowers and border work (Kyre and Clissa’s work respectively). The neatness of the decorations clashed with the much clumsier lettering on the top of the cake. Rassa had been very, very adamant that she get to write “We love you Daddy” on the top. The letters were all over the place and varied in size, but at least Clissa had made sure she spelled it right. In order to keep the peace between sisters, Sisina had made sure to watch over the creation.
The cake was the center point and around it lay the dinner. Ro’liath had a love of spicy foods so Sina had been sure to incorporate that into a meat stew she’d been making since she’d been old enough to see over the stove top. There was fresh greens, fresh bread, everything that she could think of. Everything was laid out perfectly and the multitude of cats that had come to reside at Hearthflame Bakery had been shooed out to ensure it stayed that way.
When Ro’liath set foot through the doorway, he was met with a loud “Surprise!” from his family and Kyre stood by his side grinning. It wasn’t a moment later that Rassa ran over to throw her arms around his waist and hug him, practically bouncing with her excitement. Even Clissa gave him a hug. And Sisina simply smiled as she watched her little ones hug and, in Rassa’s case, chatter at their father. She could always apologize later. For now she was just happy to see her love smiling so brightly, even as tears ran down his cheeks.
Ro'liath is very shy about anything performing arts since he was disowned. Dancing/singing/instrument playing are something he reserves for ONLY Sisina
(;-; I love him so much)
When Ro’liath left, Sisina didn’t dance much and she only sang to her children. Now that he’s back she sings almost every day when she’s working in the bakery and she enjoys dancing with him and coaxing him out to dance every once in awhile.
“Again! Again!” Rassa stretched her arms up at her father, beaming like a little sun. There was nothing quite like the little girl’s radiance when she was happy. Nor was there anything like her ire when the temper tantrums came around.
Thankfully, there weren’t any storm clouds on the horizon.
The massive Death Knight chuckled, picking her up again. “Alright, alright, just once more.”
Rassa shrieked her joy as Ro’liath got on all fours and began another game of horsie. Noises and all.
40. “Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?” Ro and Clissa
Clissadara had only watched the strange pair for a moment. A hulking death knight playing with a tiny little elven girl. If there was one thing she couldn’t dispute it was that Ro’liath made her little sister smile and squeak with joy whenever he was around.
She jumped when he found her later.
“So, did I enter an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me back there?” He asked, voice bright as it could be in his undeath and teasing.
Clissa fishmouthed, staring up at him and half indignant. “I-!” She started before snapping her mouth shut. He got her back by way of answer as she continued sweeping. “... You make her happy when you don’t have to. I like seeing her smile, that’s all.”
… It’s Ro. What else are you expecting other than 20 out of 10? He’s always been beautiful. Sometimes I’m sad the freckles aren’t there anymore, but the piercings are interesting. Veeeery interesting.
“It could be worse.” Ro’liath said, trying to stifle a grin at the sight of his son. Kyre was absolutely covered head to toe in thick, stinking river mud. He held his arms away from his sides and his face was an absolute picture; disgust and horror all rolled into one.
“How.” Well it seemed that Kyre actually did get the scary angry gene from his parents.
“Could be shit.”
In all honesty, Kyre wasn’t certain it wasn’t shit. He groaned and tried to get closer to more solid ground but the mud that came up to the base of his calves was loathe to let go of its latest victim. He hung his head after he lost his boot and slid.
“Can you help me please?” He sounded so defeated.
It didn’t take long before father hauled son out of the vile sludge.
“Mom won’t let me in the house for a week, you watch.”
32. Ro and Sina, at the beginning of their relationship
“I think I’m in love with you.” Ro’liath’s voice was shaking as he covered his eyes with his hand. He laughed quietly, bleakly as he lay beside her. “I think I’m in love with you and that terrifies me.”
Sisina blinked in the dark, rolling to face him and propping herself up on her forearm. She watched him for a few moments before placing a warm hand on his belly, sliding it up to lightly brush through the gingery hair that covered his chest almost as thoroughly as the freckles there. Gentle fingers rubbed against his skin, enjoying the difference in textures. “Being in love with me is terrifying?” She asked quietly.
Her lover’s voice sounded strangled in his throat as it wouldn’t come out right. Eventually it worked with him enough to force out a hoarse “yes.”
She didn’t let him off the hook so easily. Instead she rolled onto her belly, the only sound in the room was that of the sheets as she moved, and rested some of her weight against him. “Why?”
Ro wouldn’t take his hand away from his face, and she frowned slightly, doing it for him despite a bit of resistance. “Why?” She asked again.
The look he gave her was near pitiful; so many emotions jostling in his expression to try and get out. Hope, fear, despair, worry, embarrassment. He’d told her he loved her for the first time and she still hadn’t said it back. Did she think that he’d said it just in the heat of the moment? In the aftermath?
“My family is already looking for a bride for me.” He whispered, falling silent as Sisina moved to press a kiss above his heart.
“Then I will make sure my family enters into the running.” She murmured, glowing green eyes flicking back up to him.
“This has been going on for awhile, Sina!” The acrobat sat up, obviously distressed. Was she not taking this seriously? Did she not think that he was worth being taken seriously? The idea shot a cold lance of pain through his heart. “They are looking at wealthy families! And yours-”
“My family is a bunch of bakers.” Sisina finished calmly. For a moment he worried he’d offended her from the sharp look in her eyes. Instead, she pressed a kiss to his jawline. “Not the most interesting job, I’ll give you that. But the world will always need them. There will always be nobles that want the delicate little things to prove that they really are the uppercrust and there will always be others who need breads as staples of their diet. People will always want small rewards by ways of cookies and pies and cakes. And those who do the best will always continue to rise higher and higher.”
Sina pulled back to look at him, the green light of her eyes illuminating her features in the dark. She had the cutest nose and the fullest lips…
“It isn’t fancy, but it’s a respectable job. One that I am very good at, as I’m sure your family can attest. I am not one prone to flights of fancy, I have a good head on my shoulders, and even looking at me it is a good bet that I can bear you many healthy children.” She spoke so frankly about it that it made color bloom in Ro’liath’s cheeks. It sounded like she’d put thought into this. Into a future with him.
She smiled at his dumbfounded expression and leaned forward to press a soft kiss to his lips. He really was a cute and sweet man. One she didn’t plan on letting slip through her fingers. “I love you, Ro’liath Silverwing. I love you and I won’t let them take you from me.” Her voice was so sure, so certain.
He stared at her for a moment before he gripped her tightly, one arm wrapping around her hips while the other gripped the back of her head and he kissed her. Desperately, frantically, filled with need and desire and love and fear that he couldn’t put into words. He couldn’t lose her. Not Sina. Anything but Sina.
(You didn’t ask for this one BUT HERE IT IS ANYWAY >8D)
I wish I could hate you. If I could, this would all be so much easier. Sisina thought quietly, holding her son, her Kyre. The thought wasn’t for him, no. She loved her baby with all the ferocity and tenderness that her body could hold. No, the thought was for the child’s father. The one that she didn’t share a home with, that she didn’t share a bed with.
A pained bitterness sat in her heart every time she thought of Ro’liath these days. One that warred with the love and fondness that wouldn’t cease. Their battle left her feeling angry, guilty, and helpless. Helplessness never sat well with her, but she didn’t know what else she could do. The man she loved had not fought for her hand and so she was now married to a man she barely knew who was much older than her and snored like a bear. At least when Ro snored it was endearing.
I can hate Pelas with such ease, why can’t I hate you instead? Why didn’t you fight for me?
A tear rolled down Sisina’s cheek and she jumped a bit when Kyre began to fuss. She smiled down at him, shifting his weight before she rocked and hushed him. “We’ll be alright, sweetheart. We’ll be alright, I promise.”
