Birthdays Galore

When Minai, Ettelendil, Erondir, and Fiendir are at school, the house is almost silent with it being just Thrin and I. Normally it bothers me to some extent, but this time around I'm fully enjoying the peacefulness. I don't even have anything to really complain about. Thrin seems to like the calmness as well since he learns what I have to teach him better without his siblings around. I suppose that's because they're too distracting for him otherwise. Thrin becomes so curious when they are running about the house, and wants to see everything they're doing.

 

That's why it's nearly impossible to get him away when the others arrive home. I've found that it's during the early part of the afternoon to get Thrin outside for a nice stroll. He loves them, and they also tire him out. That means he goes down easy for a nap when we're done. I've also gotten to know the town and our neighbors a lot more by going on these walks. Like in Appaloosa Plains and Monte Vista, the humans here are so curious and interested in seeing me and my children.

Most barely even remember that we elves thrive in the western area of this land. I wonder if we broke out of our isolationism a bit, we might actually find support with the normal citizens who could help us fight against those who want to force and steal our home away from us. Eloril hasn't told me anything recently if anything like that has sprung up again. I want to know how the suggestion for an ambassador has gone too. I shall have to ask in my next letter.

One day, we took too long of a stroll though. The others had arrived home from school before Thrin and I got back.  Normally it's hard to gets things to that peaceful calm state when the four of them are around, but that day it was much much worse. I had no idea what happened, but Eron and Fien were fighting so horribly. Even now I have no idea what caused the anger. The two of them seem as if they were about to start hitting each other. Poor Minai didn't know what to do to stop them. She had tried to help them sort it out, but her interference only made things worse. They knew they wouldn't be able to scare me off though, so I managed to get them in separate rooms to try and calm them down.

I knew they calmed themselves down only because they didn't want to be left out of Ette's birthday party. It was then when I tried to get out of them what had made them so made, but they kept their silence. I mad them go to bed as soon as we finished celebrating and they had done their homework. Ette was a bit upset that their sour mood dampened his birthday, but otherwise he had a good day.

I woke up in the middle of the night feeling the stirrings of another pregnancy. Despite the late hour, I just couldn't help myself from slipping out quietly to go to the hospital. The hospital isn't conveniently across the street like it was in Monte Vista, so I called a cab to take me. The doctors and nurses all thought that something was wrong with me or the baby because I came at such an unusual time of day for a test. I had to reassure them many times that nothing was wrong and that I only wanted to know the gender of my child.

The ultrasound showed me that I was finally having another baby girl. I became so happy that I couldn't control myself from smiling widely and giggling. I gathered some head shakes from the hospital staff, but I cheerfully ignored them. When I returned home I once again realized it was going to be a night where falling back asleep was an impossibility. I made breakfast again- pancakes this time.

Eron and Fien weren't talking to each other when they came downstairs in the morning, but they at least weren't about to throw punches anymore and were in better moods overall. I hope they become mature teenagers like Ette did when he aged up. I don't even have to force him or Minai to do their homework. They do it right on their own.

After so much passing time in Aurora Falls, we've all fallen into a nice routine. Lucas visits most mornings for breakfast now that I've become pregnant. At first, he was very surprised at the things we would eat- macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and ice cream, cookies- until he realized the menu was a result of my cravings. He soon began to look forward to seeing what strange dish we would be having that morning.

It was just moments after I had fallen asleep one evening when the pains of labor jolted me awake. I had planned on my daughter coming the next day and had hoped to sleep well now, but it seems she had other plans. Considering that this was going to be my twenty-eighth time giving birth, I didn't bother waking anyone else up or alerting them. I can handle the pain and delivery so well that Thrin, sleeping in his crib in the same room, did not stir. I did try to call Lucas a few times, but each time my calls went to his voicemail.

In the end, I gave birth to our daughter without him having a clue what was going on. We had already thankfully decided on the name Riviel. It was when I rocked her to sleep and got over my pain that some more rational sense came back to me. I had not thought to call Ralph at all before to see if he could get a hold of Lucas. I knew it was late, but I went ahead. He explained that Lucas had dropped his phone in the street, and it had unfortunately gotten run over. Ralph promised that he would let Lucas know as soon as possible.

He came over the next day, which happened to be Erondir and Fiendir's birthday as well. Lucas was so excited to see Riviel, but he seemed very nervous and shifty too. I naturally asked him what was bothering him. He started out by saying that he hadn't said anything up to this point because he hadn't wanted me to become mad. He had met a woman named Ms. Sophia, he neglected to tell me her last name, and had fallen in love with her. Lucas wanted to marry her. However, Ms. Sophia is apparently very religious and doesn't think highly of those who sleep with others before marriage.

Lucas promised that he'll always be there as a father for Riviel, but he's sure if Ms. Sophia finds out we had a child together that she'll never want to be with him. I told him that he had done nothing wrong by falling in love. I did not mince words or hold back in my thoughts though that it would be great mistake to further his relationship with this woman without telling her the truth. I have no business going around making sure everyone knows who fathers my children, but even if I don't say anything Ms. Sophia is going to find out eventually. If she finds out he lied to her about such a thing, then there is no chance she will want to stay with him.

I told him that if she and him are meant to be, then she will find a way to love him despite him doing something against her beliefs. However, he had to give her the opportunity for both of them to find out if their love could withhold the trial. That would only come about by him telling the truth. Lucas strongly considered my words, but didn't decide what he was going to do.

Eron and Fien grew up to look astonishingly different. They looked different while they were children and younger, but never has the difference been so dramatic. Now there's certainly no chance that anyone will ever confuse them as the other again. Interestingly enough, they've kept to the color scheme I've used to differentiate them. Eron loves to wear white, and Fien blue.

For his birthday, Fien asked for a sculpting station. Besides there being no room, I also didn't want all the mess that would accompany his hobby in the house. I had plenty of money to get a small shed built in the backyard for him to sculpt and create to his heart's content. Fien quickly made good use of it.

Of course, I had to ask Eron what he wanted so he wouldn't think I was being unfair. The only thing he wanted was a car. He didn't care if it was old and worn, he just wanted something to drive. I tried to suggest other thing. Eron continued to stress it was the only thing he wanted, and he would do whatever chores I wanted to get it. I gave it a lot of thought. I said in the past I would never purchase a car, but in the past I've said a lot of things I would never do that I've done many times by this point.

I put aside my reluctance and gave in to buy not one, but two, cars. Minai, Ette, and Fien all became very vocal that only Eron was getting the chance to get the one thing I've denied all the rest of my children until now. Pressured, I purchased two newer cars since they are at least better made and won't hurt the environment as much as an old beat-up car would. Eron and Fien will share one, and Minai and Ette the other. I just hope Pararil doesn't find out that I gave in given his persistence when he tried to get me to buy a car for him.

Then the time for more birthdays came. This time it was Thrin's. It's strange to think that although he was born in Monte Vista, Thrin only knows Aurora Skies as his home. I can't believe that so much time has already passed. It's just a little scary. Anyway, Ralph obviously came over for Thrin's birthday. He took the chance to teach my teens how to drive since I am incapable of doing so. He asked if I would like to learn as well, but I politely declined. Actually being in charge of one of those contraptions is one of the things I will 100 percent absolutely will not do.

Lastly, Riviel became a very pretty toddler. The house is now considerably full of red-heads. Its makes me think back to the times when Aravilui, Arluwen, and Amadrie were running about the house as young children. Thinking how far back that was showed me how really scary it is that that much time has gone by......