Welcome to Gaia! ::

She grins at him. "Oops, I was going to surprise you... guess what... you're going to have two to deal with this time..."

"They're not here yet, Hopian... let's just take things one step at a time.... umm... Hopian... Fortuny to Hopian... are ye even listening to me, ye big white rug?" she asks shaking her head. Hopian is lying next to her, stunned, still mumbling to himself.

Kero laughs and hearing movement outside, goes to open the door. It is Shar and Tam, with Tam half carrying half supporting an elderly woman who is favoring her foot.

"Estelle tripped halfway here, but she still insisted on coming." laughs Shar taking her cloak off and hanging it on a peg by the door. She turns to take the woman's, but Tam has already assisted her to his chair by the fire, a puzzled look on his face. He accepts the woman;s shawls and hands it to Shar, then looks at Hopian shaking his head.

"What's wrong with Hope and where's Bez?"

"Lovebirds?" says Fortuny in confusion. "I thought that man said he was Tam's friend?"

Shar shakes her head as she moves to the lioness' side. "Stop teasing her, Kekrobian. From what I gather, m'Lady Fortuny... Lord Bezernia is Ai's mate.... and has been for a very long long time. They've just been having a few... ummm... marital disagreements."

Fortuny shakes her head. "So Tam really is Ai and not the reverse then.... I often wondered about that. But why does she go about as a male then? It would seem she'd take a different form."

Hopian sighs. "Because, Ai is exactly what she told us the other day, Fortuny... a little of both... and Tam isn't so much Ai as he's a part of Ai..."

"Sounds like he needs a good hard serious talkin to, iffin ye ask me..." chuckles Estelle from her chair. "About being one's self... I asked to come, m'lady, so I could be an extra pair of hands, if needed. But this darn foot of mine might hinder things a bit. Still, I can do many things without walking about, and who knows... ye just might need me. Sharmistra says yer carrying twins..."

Saluna looks about the room in confusion. "Waffs twinnns?" she asks, hoping someone remembers she's there.

There's a sense of hidden movement as the salamander slips up the stairs so dast it defies the eye.

Salunia walks over to the elderly woman by the fire and studies her close. "Who you?" she demands.

"I'm Estelle, little one. I'm the village midwife." says the woman with a smile.

"Whas dat?" she replies tilting her head to one side.

"I help the women have their babies... like yer momma... but even though I know a lot about babies and birthing them.... I really do not know much about lions, so I'm only helping the Dawnmistress... does this meet with your approval?" asks the woman with a fond smile.

"Heaven forbid!" declares Estelle in surprise. "Why would I want to do that. No, child I won't hurt yer momma... now, you really should go play, if we all stand around here hovering over yer momma like vultures in the desert, she's going to get nervous and uncomfortable... that goes for the men folk as well. Find something to do.. we'll call ye when it's time."

Shar looks up from Fortuny's side and agrees. "I agree... let's let Lady Fortuny rest. Kero make us some tea... lots of it. And Lord Hopian, please, go find something to do with Salunia, take her for a walk, read her a book, go practice pouncing or whatever it is she's working on now and nature take it's course. The babes are fine. Heartbeats are strong.... there is nothing to worry about."

"I could learn to like this..." laughs Estelle as she shifts the tiny lizard down to her feet, which never seem to get warm these days.

Shar chuckles with a nod. "Aye, but then you have to keep feeding them and I think Tam oncesaid he chops enough wood each day to warm half the temple... of course he was probably exaggerating. Kerobian, how much fuel do they go through in a day's time now anyway?" she calls into the kitchen.