Ciri wondered what was wrong with their host, she had been happy only days before. Near silent when she came, near-silent she left now. This seemed out-of-place as if someone had died. Avallac'h knew but could not share that knowledge with Ciri, how did one explain that one could be dead and yet not.
"...She grieves." He told her. "But not for their death. Give her time and we shall see our jovial host again..."
"It seems wrong..." Ciri said.
"Not all grief is for the dead." He said putting his arms around her. "If it is for the dead, she will tell us."
She let it go, but she didn't agree with it.
Pen slowly came to peace with what she'd had to do. She had not liked the look of Crevan in such still sleep. But knew he was healing. She went to visit often, reading to him. She knew he couldn't really hear her, but it helped.
She brought another book to Ciri, a translation of Fairy tales. Ones she was very critical of having fought the monsters behind them.
"...making light of monsters." Ciri said as she read Hansel and Gretel. "and you need silver..."
"Humans do so all the time," Pen told her. "What was real for you, is a legend for us...things that lived in the dark...We forgot they liked to eat us up..."
"...the stories."
"Memories perhaps, told by each generation until someone had the sense to write them down."
"They read these to children..."
"They were never meant to be read to children." Pen said softly. "But some blessed soul decided Children could handle what was in them. Then proceeded to remove elements that told the reality of them."
Ciri frowned as she continued to read. Pen could see the gears in her head-turning...
~Fought that, killed that, drove that off~
Avallac'h read over her shoulder, frowning at one or two of the stories. He rubbed his side, he'd have fought one or more of those monsters beside Ciri.
"...I have other stories you might like more..." Pen said. "I'll ask Regis to look into them."
"Would you look into something for me..." Ciri asked. "If you can't..."
"No harm in asking..." Pen said.
"What became of Emhrys..."
"Lived a long life, had other children. Never let another Witcher into his kingdom..." Pen said softly. "What beyond that I would have to look into the St. Neven archives, but those are sparse."
Ciri seemed sad, but she had chosen the path of her heart.
Ciri was not domestic in any way, she took after Geralt in that way. Avallac'h was just as clueless. Pen showed Ciri ells of fabric, letting her choose which to make into clothes. Avallac'h had commented to the point that Ciri had enough and stormed off. That hadn't happened in a while, leaving him cursing himself.
"...And I say the wrong thing again." He grump. "Would you be so kind, Lady Thorn, I think we need a little time to ourselves..."
Pen got up, yes they had to deal with this themselves.
Aethen found Pen Laying out fabrics. The colors were muted, but the weave fine. It said she'd gone to the market in old Dublin. A few of the fabrics reflected the theme of apple trees or birds. He knew she'd picked them to present a child in.
"...Both of them were Royal..." Aethen said. "And to argue over fabric seems trivial."
"Yes, to us." She said. "Not to them. Ciri is thinking practical fabrics, very much like a Witcher would. Avallac'h is thinking like a Lord since technically their child is Royal through both houses."
"You want to dunk him headfirst into Jareth's bog don't you..."
Aethen always could tell when her temper was short and knew what to ask.
"Yes, if it would improve things..." Pen said. "It's like dealing with Nuada on a very bad day..."
"Himself isn't this bad..." Aethen said, "He'd find this amusing..."
"...What will I find amusing?"
They had not heard him enter, and he held a receipt. She had purchased the fabrics with the royal accounts.
"...Avallac'h's temper tantrum..." Aethen said.
"Yes, I heard, but I do not find it amusing," Nuada said. "How much fabric did you purchase, not that you use your royal accounts often..."
"Enough to clothe a child for about a year..."
"I'd say give them some of the twin's clothing but knowing the Aen Elle it has to be new..."
"Thus my shopping trip..." She said. "I did get a few more gears and the like for you as well..."
Nuada smiled, She liked the results of his tinkering projects.