#rufus forest

[waxesnostalgic]

The day of Titus and Dorcas's wedding arrives. Felix greets each of his guests personally.

Rufus and Willow arrive, dressed in the local garb.

"Is he wearing trousers?" whispers Aurelia.

Cassia's reply isn't as soft. "I think so. How barbaric!"

"Does he not have proper clothing for his brother's wedding?" Cassia wonders aloud.

[waxesnostalgic]

The day came when Rufus felt he was old enough to leave the island.

RUFUS: I want to go and be with Willow. Since she can't come here, I will go with her and join her tribe.

WILLOW: Don't worry. My tribe will welcome him. We’ll take good care of him.

RUFUS: Don't cry, Mom. It isn't going to be forever. It's not far away, so we'll see each other again soon.

[waxesnostalgic]

CAUL: Oh. That was amazing, but... I'm definitely not as young as I used to be. The gods forgot to give me my energy back.

LILY: What if the gods bless me with a child? Conceived here in this sacred glade...

CAUL: Well, that might be a bit more than I was thinking...

LILY: Oh, no, I wouldn't expect anything else from you except such a blessing. My tribe is large and would welcome such a child.

LILY: My, what is this plant?

CAUL: (thinking) Is that the white flower Hana has been looking for?

CAUL: I caught many fish. But I found something else as well.

[waxesnostalgic]

FELIX: It will be really fun! We'll fish and camp out, just like in the stories Mom and Dad told us about their wandering days. 

TITUS: But is it alright to stay away from home for so long on a fishing trip?

RUFUS: Dad said it was fine.

TITUS: Fishing, huh?

TITUS: I'm the only one fishing here.

TITUS: My big brothers wanted to fish for something else, didn't they?

DORCAS: Hey, do you want to play? When my sister invited me to gather herbs with her friends, I thought they were going to treat me like a grownup. But instead, they left me to do all the work.

TITUS: I don't see why we should have to do everything.

TITUS: I ended up having a pretty good time. Somehow, I made a new friend.

(Author’s note: I wanted the girls to have a slightly more advanced look than my main family, to transition better into the classical era. Not really much CC that isn’t fur, so I ended up using the Nez Perce dress.) 

[waxesnostalgic]

HANA: Our children make me so happy. They are my world.

HANA: But Caul doesn't look at me the same way anymore. Is it because he sees me as a mother now?

[waxesnostalgic]

TITUS: Wow! My brother is amazing! Will I be able to do something like that someday?

DORCAS: It looks like you’d get burned.

[waxesnostalgic]

Soon, Rufus was joined by another child, Felix.

While Rufus was quiet and liked watching his parents do things, Felix loved to talk to everyone.

Hana and Caul had a third son, who they named Titus.

It will not be long before the boys must learn how to survive in this harsh world.

(I didn’t really do much during this time, so I’m zipping through it. Things will pick up when the boys become teens soon)

[waxesnostalgic]

WILLOW: You know, you haven't invited me to the island as often as Felix has invited Hazel.

RUFUS: Well... I didn't know you wanted to come. You're always saying the mainland is better.

WILLOW: I do, but that doesn't mean I didn't want to see you.

WILLOW: If you were on the mainland, we could see each other more often.

CAUL: Woo! Go for it, son! That's my boy!

RUFUS: Dad, please! Just go away!

WILLOW: And, on the mainland, we don't have to worry about your dad being creepy.