AN: Lead pouring originates in Germany. Though since lead is toxic, many places use tin or wax now. Also, the girls get a lesson from Njada and the men get drunk.
Several of the Companions were gathered near the edge of the Skyforge and even Eorlund had paused in his work to come watch as Kirstte explained the next tradition. "Since today is mostly about the adult men running around and drinking all night, I thought we'd try something fun for everybody first." There were several small pots filled with water, a stack of spoons, and several candles. "In this tradition, you take a small piece of wax and melt it, then drop it into the cold water. Whatever shape it becomes predicts your fate for the next year." She held up a spoon. "Who wants to go first?"
"Why don't you?" Anders leaned against the edge of the forge and grinned at her.
She shrugged and cut a section of wax off, holding the spoon over a hot coal until it melted, then she moved and dumped it into the water. They all gathered around and waited until it had cleared and she fished it out with her spoon, laying it on the table. "It looks like a blob," Lucia chirped, frowning at it and poking it gently. "What's it mean if you get a blob?"
Ria picked it up and rolled it around in her hand. "I don't know. It kind of looks like a baby." She grinned and waggled her eyes at Kirstte. "Is it a literal interpretation?"
Kirstte felt her face heat up and held her hand out. It did look somewhat like a baby. "Not usually, but this one. Yes." Farkas and Anders whooped and clapped Vilkas on the back. He rolled his eyes, but she could tell he was pleased. "Okay, split up and grab your wax, spoon, and bucket. Let's see your predictions."
She moved over to help Lucia, watching carefully as she tipped her wax into the water and waited. The girl was squirming with impatience before finally pulling out her wax, holding it up and studying it carefully. "I think it looks like the sun," she declared finally. "See these parts that are like the rays of light?" She held it up and Kirstte nodded. "What's that mean?"
Kirstte flipped open her book and found it. "It means you are going to have a bright year. That's fun isn't it?"
Lucia frowned. "What is a 'bright year?'"
Kirstte closed the book and tilted her head as she thought. "It means things are going to be good, like a bright and sunshiny day."
Lucia pursed her lips as she thought and then smiled. "Good! Let's go see what everybody else has!" They made their way through the group, arguing over what the shapes looked like. "Oh look! Ria got a heart," Lucia chirped when they neared her. "I bet that means she's gonna fall in lo-ove!" She sang the last word, smiling widely up at Ria.
"That is what a heart means," Kirstte confirmed. She watched as Ria's eyes searched out Anders and she nudged Lucia. "Why don't you go see if Sofie needs any help? I'll be right there." Lucia scampered off and Kirstte turned to Ria. "I'm not going to tell you to not pursue what you want. Personally, I think you two would be good for each other, but you need to remember a couple of things. One, he's from Solstheim and he may want to go back someday. Two, he has recently gained a large responsibility in the form of a young girl."
Ria shrugged. "I don't think either of those will be a problem," she murmured, grinning at the girls as Lucia chattered on about what she thought Sofie's wax looked like. Her face dropped. "Most people don't know," she continued, "but a few years ago on one of my earlier contracts I was injured." Her hand ghosted over her abdomen. "I can't have my own children. Adopting is really the only way for me and if he's already okay with it..." She trailed off her eyes found him where he was laughing at Farkas and Toral.
Kirstte gave her a quick one-armed hug and then they joined the girls. Lucia held up a chunk of wax. "I think it looks like a bird nest. What do you think?"
Ria accepted it and studied it carefully. "It could be a nest. Sofie, do you think it looks like a nest?" Sofie shrugged and glanced up at Ria and then over at Anders before her eyes dropped. "Anders, can you come here? We're having a hard time with Sofie's wax." He abandoned his own wax and came over, holding his hand out for it. Ria placed it in the palm of his hand and he held it up, studying it carefully.
"Well, that's a bird's nest if I ever saw one," he said finally. "You ever see a bird's nest Sofie?" She shook her head and he handed her back the wax. "That's probably why you didn't recognize it." He tilted his head to Kirstte. "What's a bird's nest mean? Also, a ring. Mine somehow managed to form an almost perfect ring."
Kirstte opened the book and ran her finger over the page. "A ring means…" Her eyebrows shot up. "It means you're getting married soon." She chuckled at the flush that spread across his face and then turned back to the book, clearing her throat. "And a nest…" She grinned at Sofie. "A nest means you're going to make a good home where you are."
Sofie grinned and threw herself at Kirstte, hugging her. Lucia joined the hug. "That's so great Sofie, that means you're going to be home at Jorrvaskr like me! C'mon, let's go tell Tilma. She'll be so happy!" The two girls scampered off. Kirstte left Anders and Ria and moved over to Vilkas.
"What is it?" she asked. He frowned, holding it up.
"It kind of looks like the Red Mountain in Morrowind," he said finally. "What's a volcano mean?" She found it in her book and could feel her face turning red. She snapped the book closed. "Well?" he asked and she could see the amusement in his gaze.
She cleared her throat. "It means great passion and lust," she whispered. His eyebrows shot up and he pulled her against him, pressing a kiss to her neck.
"That's certainly promising isn't it?" he murmured. "Maybe I should skip the caroling this year." His hand squeezed her waist and she snorted and pushed his shoulder gently.
"You promised Farkas you would go," she reminded him. "Plus Ria and I have a surprise planned for the girls." He pouted at her and she laughed, tugging on his bottom lip. "You look ridiculous. Now help me clean all this up before Eorlund has my hide."
He kissed her again and then released her so they could return the Skyforge to rights.
Kirstte was laughing when she opened the door just after sunset, watching as Lucia chased Farkas around with a wooden sword. "I'm gonna get you, bandit!" she yelled.
"Uh…" Carlotta sounded unsure as she looked at the commotion going on. "Is this really a good idea?" she asked.
Kirstte opened the door further and ushered in Mila, Dorthe, Braith, and Dagny. "Yes. And they'll be safe. Don't worry." Carlotta still looked uncertain and Kirstte barely kept from rolling her eyes. "Farkas!" she called and he stopped, easily deflecting Lucia's sword and taking it from her. "Don't worry so much Carlotta. Go have fun." The other woman frowned and Kirstte urged her outside, closing the door before she could object. She faced the room and pointed. "Okay men, get out of here. We'll see you later. Provided you can all find your way back once you're drunk."
There was cheering and general chaos as the men gathered their things and headed out to join the others and Kirstte herded the girls further into the room. "Okay girls, what do you want to do first?"
"Stories!" Lucia piped up. "And hot chocolate!" Njada appeared from downstairs and froze, eyebrows arching up to the ceiling.
"What in all of Tamriel is going on here? Did we become an orphanage?" She frowned at the children.
Kirstte settled down in a chair and shrugged. "There are some things that a woman needs to know, and they don't always learn them from their mothers," she answered. "For example, there are some people, men and women of all races, who might try and hurt you. So starting in a few weeks, we're going to have some lessons up here at Jorrvaskr to help teach you how to use weapons and protect yourself."
"What if you don't have a weapon?" Dorthe asked.
Dagny sniffed. "That's what guards are for." She fluffed her dress around her as she sat in a chair. "My father said that I will always have guards to protect me. So I don't need them."
"I heard that sometimes people can get to you even if there are guards!" Mila hissed. "Mama said that sometimes there are people who might kidnap you! Then what do you do?"
"Simple, punch 'em in the face!" Braith answered, mimicking throwing a punch. "That'll stop 'em."
Kirstte grinned at Njada. "What do you think Njada? Is Braith right?"
Njada glowered but came forward. "Well yeah, punching them can work, but sometimes that's not enough. Or sometimes they might sneak up on you and grab you from behind or maybe sometimes your arms will be tied up so you have to figure something else out." All six girls turned to face her curiously and Njada shot a look at Kirstte. "Any self-respecting woman knows how to put somebody in their place. Man or woman." She gave Kirstte a smile that made her a little wary. "If the Harbinger would care to assist me, we can teach you some ways to protect yourself." Kirstte dipped her head, a wry grin on her face as she stood and joined Njada. "So there's an easy way to remember how to protect yourself, even if you don't have a weapon or any kind of training. You just have to remember four letters – E, S, N, G." There were several confused looks and Njada motioned to Kirstte. "If somebody comes up behind you to grab you, first you Elbow them. E." She elbowed Kirstte in the gut and she doubled over, gasping. "S is for Stomp. It can be hard to do if they have on really tough boots, but most bandits wear cheap old leather stuff, so you stomp on their foot, try and get the inside." She went to stomp on Kirstte's foot and she danced away, giving Njada a harsh glare. Njada smirked. "Then after that, or if they're coming at you head on, go for the nose. You don't have to punch them. Use the flat of your palm." She held her hand up and motioned pushing it into an invisible foe's nose. "If you do it right, you can break their nose." Impressed murmurs rumbled through the group. "Then the last thing you do is kick or hit the groin. That usually stuns them."
"I thought that only worked really well on boys. Because of their boy parts," Dorthe chirped.
"It definitely works better on boys," Kirstte agreed, rubbing her stomach where Njada had elbowed her. "But even though girls have different parts, it will still usually surprise them. Then you can run away and get help."
"Or you can just kick their butts!" Braith declared and mimicked fighting somebody.
"Sometimes a true fighter is one who knows when to retreat." Aela appeared on the stairs. "That's one thing my mother taught me. She was a great Companion who fought well, but always reminded me that sometimes the best thing to do is run away."
"Very true," Kirstte agreed. "But we've gotten a little sidetracked." She tilted her head to Njada. "Thank you Njada for the information." The girls all echoed the thanks and Kirstte rubbed her hands together. "Who wants to hear a story?" There was general cheering and the girls hurried to get a seat near Kirstte. She was interrupted by a knock on the door and everyone scrambled to gather up the bowls of treats before flooding out to see the carolers.
Three songs later and the men were on their way so Kirstte and Ria moved the girls back inside, supervising as they clamored around Jorrvaskr, telling stories and giving them treats until they wore themselves out. Tilma moved them all into the side room and they collapsed on the beds, falling asleep quickly.
"I agree that a woman needs to know how to protect herself, but it's not your responsibility to teach them," Njada muttered. Kirstte settled into the chair across from her. "Though I guess Lucia and Sofie don't have parents to teach them," she added and then sighed. "And even though Carlotta is a strong-willed woman, she's not physically strong." She frowned into her mead. "I think I've had too much of this. I'm starting to agree with you."
"Don't worry Njada, none of us will tell that you do have a heart in there somewhere," Kirstte teased. Njada stuck her tongue out and they all laughed.
The door flew open, slamming into the wall. "Wife! I'm home! You better not have had that baby yet!"
"Farkas! The girls are sleeping, keep it down," Lydia hissed, pushing herself up. His eyes widened and he shuffled inside, followed by the others who were in various stages of drunkenness.
Vilkas brought up the rear, closing the door behind him and then sliding down it to sit on the floor. Kirstte stood over him, arms crossed and one eyebrow arched. "Downgrading from the bench?" she asked. Vilkas blinked up at her, one eye moving a little slower than the other and she snorted.
"Hey. Floor's great. Don't knock it till you try it," he slurred, tugging off one boot. "You should try it now. C'mere." He patted the floor and reached for her.
She dodged his hands and grinned at him. "No, thank you. Not when I have a nice large bed to sleep in. Maybe you should try that." He stared up at her and she blushed but kept on. "If you come downstairs with me, I'll let you sleep in my bed," she hissed. "Only sleep though. You're way too drunk for anything else."
He stood using the door and bench to help himself up and then gave what she thought was supposed to be a smirk. "'m not too drunk," he countered. "We can do all kindsa things." He waggled his eyebrows at her. "Don't you worry 'bout that."
She scooped up his boot and slid his arm over her shoulder, holding him up as they stumbled to the stairs and down to her room. She ignored the knowing look from Aela and helped Vilkas into one of the chairs before pointedly closing the door in the Huntress's face. She helped Vilkas get his other boot and his cape and horned helmet off. He grabbed her waist and pulled her into his lap, kissing her neck. "Mmm, got you now," he hummed.
She slipped easily from his grip, giggling at the look on his face. "Vilkas. You are beyond drunk. We're not going to do anything tonight. I'd hate for you to regret something in the morning." She slipped into the bedroom and pulled on a large tunic, abandoning the rest of her clothing in a small pile in the corner. She climbed onto the bed and wiggled under the blankets. He filled up the doorway to her room, leering.
"I won't regret anything," he assured her. He stumbled his way to the bed and fell onto it gracelessly she yanked the blankets out from under him and threw them over his back, laughing when she heard him start snoring.
She pressed a kiss to his temple. "G'night Vilkas."