***Characters still belong to Anne Bishop, not me. So sorry it took me so long to update this, I honestly forgot I had written it until Twilight's Dawn came out! Hope people like this chapter and, if people read and review, I promise it won't take me over a year to update!***
"Do you think everything's ok?" Kalush sounded nervous, nervous and concerned. Gabrielle had been in an odd mood all day, traveling back and forth between barely hidden temper and melancholy silence. At first, Karla had chalked it up to the reemergence of a healer's frustration, recognizing the limitations of even strong jewels is a difficult lesson, but their talk earlier hadn't seemed able to shake whatever was bothering her. Jaenelle had looked understanding when she'd told Gabrielle to try and get some sleep, although Karla now noticed the faintest lines of sadness around her mouth. When she noticed Karla staring, Jaenelle gave her a tired smile.
"Kiss kiss, love." Karla smirked, trying to change the tone of the room. Kalush continued to look troubled.
"Do you think we should check on Gabrielle? Are we sure that Chaosti is alright?" Even in a sitting room on the other side of the Hall, they had all felt the stirrings of a Warlord Prince's rage and while the boyos could have their moments, they couldn't match a Queen when it came to protective instincts.
Jaenelle's smile lost its tired edge, "no, no, she's fine, they're both fine."
Reassured, Kalush smiled brightly at the room."Anyone for cradle? Morghann?" Morghann's only response was a groan.
"I know, I know" Kalush murmured unsympathetically as she began dealing pieces and cards. "Poor you."
"I'm already bored and we haven't even started playing yet." Morghann grumbled.
"We could always do some gardening" Kalush suggested, double checking the two hands.
"As long as you don't mind the boyos giving their opinion on whether or not you should carry that bucket or if you're getting close to a sunburn and should move into the shade" Karla smirked. Morghann's face went stony and she grabbed her pieces, their last attempt at gardening had not ended pleasantly. As she watched Morghann leaf through her options for her first turn, Karla felt an idea slowly form in her mind.
Morghann looked at her appreciatively, "spill, Sister, if you have an idea, it is your coven duty to share." Kalush began looking nervous again.
"No more cooking, Karla, Mrs. Beale was so upset last time…"
"I'm not going to cook anything," Karla snapped, especially not after Uncle Saetan had threatened to make her eat anything else that she made. A complete overreaction to a teeny, tiny mishap. She had told Mrs. Beale that she would replace all of the wooden spoons. "Why don't we improve it?" she said quickly.
"Your cooking?" Kalush asked worriedly. Karla glared, her Coven sisters should have more faith in her innate culinary talents. Jaenelle began snickering behind her, as if adding the wormwort hadn't been her idea in the first place. Traitor.
"No, Kalush, cradle." Karla continued impatiently. "We should improve it." Morghann perked up, interested. "It's just a children's game now, but we could add new rules, new pieces even, make it a game you can really sink your teeth into." Kalush's eyes widened. Taking a breath to increase the anticipation, Karla continued dramatically, "Yes, my sisters, I am suggesting that we create…Karladle!" Kalush giggled as Jaenelle rolled her eyes. Karla sighed, "Or just, you know, 15 variations of cradle."
"Yes," Morghann breathed, "honestly, there are so many other ways for the pieces to fit together, the cards too, there's no reason for it to be so simple…" her voice broke off as she jumped up to find a notebook.
"And," Karla continued sweetly, "the poor boyos have been looking for something to do, it seems only fair that we create something that could amuse them as well." Jaenelle's silvery laugh filled the room as Kalush, Morghann, and Katrine began excitedly conferencing and scribbling.
"Aaron is not going to believe this…" Kalush's eyes were bright and her cheeks flushed.
"I can't wait to see Khary's face, he thinks he's so clever. Do you know he tried to force me to eat a bowl of stew earlier? As if I can't recognize when I'm hungry and when I'm not?"
"He did not! What did you do?"
"Threw the bowl at him."
"Sounds logical to me" Karla responded pertly. Kalush covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her laughter.
"Aaron's been weirdly protective of his arms and hands lately. Right before I came up, we were talking and I reached out, just to tug his sleeve, and he jerked back a little. He looked embarrassed after, but…isn't that odd?" Kalush's laugh didn't quite cover the slight sense of hurt. Karla looked down guiltily, stupid Morton and his stupid obsession with naps.
Morghann gave Kalush a knowing look and soon the two were intently discussing the eccentricities of male behavior, especially the recent changes in Khary and Aaron. As blushes began spreading on their cheeks, Karla felt her own face grow still. She crawled a little further back into the couch, feeling comforted by Jaenelle's presence. After a few minutes listening to the chatter, Karla braced herself and looked down.
"It's starting, isn't it?" She asked softly. Jaenelle only seemed to focus more on the experimental movements of the cradle pieces. After a minute of silence, she sighed quietly, "yes, it is." Karla felt her eyes get hot. She knew it was stupid, knew it was unfair, but she couldn't help the reaction.
"I'm not ready," she finally whispered. After a few seconds, she looked up. "Do you think, do you think it will change things?" Jaenelle looked at her, understanding.
"Yes." One word, Jaenelle respected her too much to lie or try and sugarcoat the situation. Karla was truly happy for her friends, for her sisters. Gabrielle had thought that they hadn't noticed her playful teasing of Chaosti turn introspective, hadn't noticed Kalush getting quiet when she hadn't seen Aaron that day. Witch saw first, Witch always saw first, but Karla hadn't been far behind. They watched the scribbles grow on the notebook and the positions of the cards become organized.
"Will this ever happen for me?" she asked, her voice small. Midnight eyes met hers. Karla saw both sympathy and understanding. More than anyone, Witch understood what it was to feel out of place. Karla took a shaky breath and nodded her head quickly. She swallowed hard, felt regret solidify into a pit in her stomach. It was almost hard to breathe. Jaenelle's hand found hers, squeezing it tightly, allowing her to get control before her sister's noticed her shift in mood.
*Karla?* She felt Morton's hesitant question in her mind, he always had been more in tune with her emotions. She suddenly fiercely regretted biting him. As she watched Witch survey the scene with quiet amusement, tinged ever so slightly with loneliness, Karla felt intense relief that she had, that she would always have, Morton. The relief was heady.
*Morton!* She felt Morton withdraw nervously. How unfair, her cousin never did seem to appreciate her enthusiasm. *Fancy a game of cradle?* she asked innocently.
