Veridia Round 7: Midwife

[eulalia]

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It's a longish one this time!








Things are quiet here, aside from my game crashing forty-five thousand times. The wolves are calm and everyone is asleep aside from Elmet and Arturo, who entertain themselves by exchanging dirty jokes.






Oh, never mind. I get it, you want to see your girlfriend, but it's THREE AM. Go to bed.




For a two active point sim, Lune is really fucking obsessed with jumping on everyone's beds.




Helenet: So I was wondering... what if we have another baby after all?

Elmet: Oh, good, it's not just me thinking about that.

Helenet: I just really want at least one more. I always wanted a big family, even after growing up in one. And I am getting older and it'll be easier if we do it now...




Elmet: Netty, I would love to raise as many babies with you as you're willing to have. Although if we have many more, we're going to have to start stacking them on top of each other to sleep.

Helenet: I know, but I think Angus might want to move out soon with Gytha to start their own household. Y'know, get some time and space away from any meddling parents or guardians.

Elmet: Sweetheart, no offense, but you're the complete opposite of a meddling parent and Shep is, somehow, even more lenient than you.

Helenet: Anyway, that would give us more space. Or we could fix up the attic...




Elmet: Eh, let's just stash them in Arturo's treehouse.

Helenet: *laughs*

Thanks for rolling matching 'have baby' wants and completely disregarding my throwaway line from last round, guys. I'm not mad at it, their kids are pretty cute. I also found a bunch of appropriate wolf-themed names, so we're all set.










Arturo has taken over teaching the children whilst Helenet and Elmet are working. Finally, people who want to hear his font of knowledge.

Fiona: D... dada.

Arturo: It's very simple. Ar-tur-oh. See?




Fiona: No! Dada!

Arturo: It is going to be very confusing if you cannot distinguish between us, little wolf. But I suppose it doesn't matter until you grow a little older.




Lune spends a lot of her time running around outside with the wolves, because she's borderline feral.




Helenet: Arturo, how would you feel if we were to have another baby?

Arturo: I am generally uninvolved with the making of them, so I'm uncertain why you're asking me.

Helenet: By the gods but you're good practice some days for dealing with when the children become teenagers. I'm asking you because you live here too now; I'm trying to take your feelings into account.




Arturo: You hardly need my permission, witch. But if it makes you feel better, your children are adorable and generally well-behaved, and I imagine another would be the same. And I would be interested to see if you end up with another witch or wolf for your growing pack.

Helenet: Wait, are you saying that you can tell whether Lune and Fiona inherited my magic? Or Elmet's lycanthropy?

Arturo: Yes, of course. Surely you remember the first time we discussed Angus's magic?

Helenet: Are you going to tell me whether they did?

Arturo: Certainly not. Where would the fun in that be?




Fiona really looks like a mini Helenet.




Arturo: Lune! It is time for your lessons—




Lune: I don't see why I've gotta learn to read and write. Mummy doesn't, and she's plenty smart.

Arturo: Reading is another way of learning about the world. You will find many avenues for both knowledge and exploration open to you with your letters.




Lune: Mmmm, I still don't want to.

Arturo: Fine. What is it that the witch says... oh, yes. You have to do it because I told you to.

Arturo and Xiang are determined to make this the most literate village in Abona, I guess.




Lune: Mummy, Arturo is making me copy down all these letters. I don't think it's very fair. Fi doesn't have to do this.




Helenet: That's because Fiona isn't big enough to hold a slate or pen yet. You'll appreciate this when you're older.

Lune: But I don't 'preciate it now.






Lune: I hear Da! He's home!

Arturo: We are not finished—at least put your slate away. *sigh*




Lune: Hi, Daddy!

Elmet: Oof! Hey, kid! Guess what?

Lune: What? Wait, who's horse is that?






Elmet is picking up Orla's habit of acquiring new animals every round.




Helenet: A horse? Really, Elmet?

Elmet: No one could figure out whose horse it was, so Kinet and Norweni agreed I could take it. He just needs some feeding up and care. Wouldn't it be so much easier to get around to your appointments if you could ride?

Helenet: That is true...

Gytha: Can you find me a magically abandoned horse next?


* * *






Lately Arturo is having trouble sleeping. It's not as if he's very good at it in the first place after decades of not needing sleep and then becoming a werewolf. Arturo has fallen into the habit of catnapping in his hammock in the middle of the day, which is not how most humans prefer to sleep. Even Elmet tends to head to bed a few hours after midnight.




But for the past week, he keeps dreaming terrible things. They're not like that dream, the one he had right after leaving the grove, but they drive him awake nonetheless. These dreams are less clear than that one; the details flee when he wakes, leaving him with impressions of wretched things. Once, a dream of being suffocated by vines in the forest. It leaves him with a sour taste in his mouth, a foul temper, and a sensation of being watched.

The witch scolds him for sleeping in the sun all the time and says it's because of the heat. He would like to believe she's right.




Arturo: You are not helping. Do not growl at me, or I will banish you out the gate. No, I don't care what the tall wolf would have to say about it.










Lune: Land ahoy! Prepare to dock, your captain wants to go explore!




Gytha: What's this wool you're using?

Elmet: Uh, it's from my brother's flock. I don't know what's different about those sheep, I just know how to feed or shear one.

Gytha: Maybe he can save some for me next spring? It's really nice!




Helenet has to work on her potions in whatever moments she can grab. It might be for the best that Angus will be taking over more of the general herbalism work soon; then she can focus more on midwifery and caring for her younger children.








Someone take the knives away from this child.




Elmet: You're getting pretty great at cooking real food. Think you could ever recreate Eisu's pie recipe?

Arturo: I would not dare attempt such a thing.








Arturo still spends some nights wandering the forest. Unfortunately, it's getting cold at night and the pond where he fishes is starting to freeze over. Rude.


* * *










Lune may not like learning her letters, or having to clean up after herself, or being told to stop jumping on her bed, but she does like pulling weeds!




Congrats, Lune, you can take over Arturo's neglected garden.




???: It's cute how you pretend the little girl is your own. Sickeningly sweet, really.

Arturo: If you do anything to the children, I will strangle you with your own intestines. Slowly.

???: You could try. Luckily, I am no monster. I have no issue with them, creature—




Lune: Hi, Daddy!

Arturo: ...Little moon, why are you watching me sleep?

Lune: I'm bored.




Arturo: Go fetch your mother for me, then.

Lune: Aw, but that's boring too!




Helenet: Maybe we should consult someone else about these dreams. They're clearly bothering you, and if they really are magical in origin, this is way over my head.

Arturo: Ah, yes, let me walk over to the closest university or seer and ask for aid.




Helenet: Don't be a prat. There actually is a seer living in Veridia now. River moved here with my cousin and the others. Their house is just down the hill from here, so I've been going over to visit them sometimes. They're very nice.

Arturo: Oh, that house that kept the builders disturbing me with their racket for so long? Wretched.

Helenet: Again, might've been less of a problem if you didn't insist on sleeping outside at high noon. I'm not sure if dreams are entirely in River's wheelhouse, but it can't hurt to ask. Shall I invite them over?

Arturo: Fine. As you say, it couldn't hurt, I suppose.


* * *




Meanwhile, Angus has passed the herbalist guild's examand can sell potions to other sims like Helenet does.
Though, since I started playing Veridia, the Sun & Moon team have released their own potion mod and I'm planning on trying it out with Angus. Probably he'll use that mod and Helenet will keep using Jellymeduza's herbalism bench.




He's been collecting seeds and cuttings to establish his own herb garden when he moves out. Some plants he and Helenet use, they collect from the forest, but some things are handy to have a stock of in the garden. Rosemary and hyssop and so on.




Congrats to Lune for autonomously going back to finish her homework. 👏 Or maybe she's just going to feed it to Snow.






River: Haha, you and Orla are both huggers, aren't you?

Helenet: I s'pose it runs in the family. Now, let me introduce you to my... hmm. Elmet and I don't really have a word for him, do we? Anyway, he's a bit eccentric. And kind of a grump. Don't take it personally!

River: He can't be worse than Maddan, and I managed to live with him.

Helenet: ...Oh no.

River: What? What?

Helenet: I'm suddenly realizing I have a type. Ugh.




River: Um...

Arturo: Before you ask, I am not a faery, or elf, or whatever other creature you humans have conjured up.

River: Okay. I was going to say, it's nice to meet you.

Arturo: Ah.

River: Helenet said you've been having frequent nightmares, and they might be magical in origin? I'm only familiar with oneiromancy in theory, but, um, I can see what I can do. May I touch your head?

Arturo: Fine.




River: Oh! You have a curse on you.

Arturo: I know. It's just lycanthropy.

River: No... well, yes, that too, but no. This is something else.

Helenet: What? I thought we broke the curse!

River: It's sort of hidden under the newer curse. It feels very old. I think it has waned since it was first cast, but there's still some sort of... tie. It's like a woven belt where some of the strands have broken. Um, sorry, I can't describe it better than that—this stuff is more abstract than people think...

Arturo: I suppose I should have realized breaking it completely would not be so simple.




River: If something is stalking your dreams... maybe you should confront it. Try to scare it away. Um, if you push back, it may leave you alone.

Arturo: They are dreams. How am I supposed to do such a thing while asleep?

River: There are herbs and other things, mushrooms, that alter your mind's perception or abilities. Some of them can affect your dreams... Helenet would know more about that than me.

Helenet: Hm... mugwort, I suppose. Maybe with a pinch of some sort of sedative?




River: It would be safe enough if you did it here. With those wards around the property, it would have to be a very powerful magic user to trespass them physically. More powerful than I've ever met, anyway. Who placed the wards?

Arturo: Me.

River: They're very good.

Arturo: Thank you. Helenet thinks it is very funny to trip them to summon me as a sort of dinner bell.

Helenet: It's that or go shout at the woods and hope you're nearby, love.


* * *








Arturo: I suppose I wasn't sleeping anyway. Shall we practice your walking?

Fiona: Yeah!




Lune: Daddy Arturo is teaching me about plants. It's pretty fun. I like it better than letters.

Eisu: How exciting! Maybe you'll become a farmer when you grow up?




Lune: Nah, I'm gonna be a bear. If Arturo and Da can become wolves, I can be a bear!

Eisu: Being a bear does sound like a pretty sweet gig. You could eat honey and sleep all winter.

Lune: Yeah!




Eisu: Another baby, huh?

Helenet: I just really want to have one more soon. I am getting older.

Eisu: You don't gotta explain it to me, I get it. If we'd started growing our family sooner, we'd probably have more. On the other hand, Jia and Xiuying are a bit of a handful...

Helenet: I think Jia inherited Xiang's energy and your exuberance. It's a... strong combination.




Eisu: Still, this gives you another chance to name one after Uncle Eisu!

Helenet: Maybe if one of them ever turns out a boy.

Look, Eisu, Helenet has a LOT of wolf-themed names on her list she needs to get through first.




Look at this man with his 'real job' and 'promotions'. He's come so far from picking beans for his brother in between moping.




Gytha is doing her best to spread rumors that this lot is haunted to keep away any surprise visitors.




Angus: So now I'm an official herbalist. Um, their questions were actually pretty easy.

Gytha: I told you! We should go celebrate! You deserve to celebrated once in a while.






Gytha: What's so funny?

Angus: I was just remembering that spring festival when you got drunk and started yelling at your father. Um, it's not really funny, I suppose.




Gytha: *snorts* It was kinda funny. He looked so shocked.

Angus: It's not the best example, but... I like that about you. You aren't afraid to tell people what you think about them.

Gytha: I'll insult any parental figures you need me to, Angus.

Angus: That's okay, but thanks.




Gytha: I have an idea. What if we went and got married right now? Just you and me?

Angus: What? Don't you want to have a big party and everything?




Gytha: Angus, you don't really like big parties. You put on a good face, but I know you don't.

Angus: That's true...




Gytha: We can always have a party some other time that doesn't end up with half the village drunk and rowdy. Soooo?

Angus: I'm just tipsy enough that this seems like a good idea. Okay, let's do it!





* * *






Gytha: Last chance to get rid of me!

Angus: Never. Gytha... you mean a lot to me. I can't picture my life without you in it.

Gytha: Really? I... you were the first person that ever made me feel really wanted. Not out of obligation or whatever, just because you liked having me around for me.








Gytha: So do you think anyone's ever had sex under the sacred tree before?

Angus: Gytha!

Gytha: What? I can't be the first person to ever think of it. I bet you loads of people have.


* * *




Elmet: You're getting pretty fast on your feet, Fi. I hope we can keep up with you!




Elmet: Hey. I feel like I've hardly seen you today, between everything. How are you?

Helenet: I'm ready for bed is what I am.

Elmet: Oh?

Helenet: To sleep. Which you can join me for, but I doubt you've run off all your nighttime energy yet, wirokū.

Elmet: I don't think I could fall asleep if I wanted. Should I tuck you in with a kiss on the forehead like the girls?

Helenet: Ha, sure, why not?




Elmet: Y'know, I almost joined a pirate crew once. That would've been a weird life compared to this.

Arturo: Truly?

Elmet: Why does everyone always think I'm making that up?




Arturo: You do not seem the pirate type.

Elmet: Yeah, well, it turns out I get horribly seasick.

Arturo: Perhaps that's for the best. I can't picture you menacing people for coin and goods.




Helenet predictably gets up again around midnight for a snack; she usually does when she’s pregnant.

Helenet: Did Angus ever come home? It's a bit chilly tonight.

Elmet: I'm sure he and Gytha are smart enough to put their cloaks on. He's probably staying over at her place. Shep's house is closer to the mead hall.






Elmet: Are you gonna make me guess again?

Helenet: Yup. I need a bigger sample size.

Elmet: Well, we're two for two with girls so far...




Helenet: Would you like it if this one came out a boy?

Elmet: I really don't care. I think it's kind of stupid when people obsess about that, honestly. There's no guarantee you're right about what the kid is anyway, so why harp on about it?

Helenet: In some lands, only girls or only boys can inherit land or wealth.

Elmet: Some lands have stupid laws.






Elmet: And what are you doing up, Lune?

Lune: I can't sleep.




Elmet: Seems like that's going around. What if I tell you a story and tuck you in again?

Lune: Oh, I want to hear the one about the big fish and the seamaid again!

Elmet: You got it.




No one in this family sleeps at night.




Elmet: Sleep tight, little moon. Again.




Lately, Arturo has felt the need to dive back into his books and learn more about what people consider darker magic. He's a fair hand at turning obnoxious men into frogs, but it seems prudent to learn more about other dark spells if he's going to attempt to confront whatever stalks his dreams like River Farseer suggested.



WHERE are you getting these?! Oh, whatever, that'll help buy your new house.


* * *






Helenet: Good morning. Did you just get in?

Angus: A while ago. So, um... Gytha and I got married last night.




Helenet: What? Without us?

Angus: Without anyone. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment idea? We'll probably have a party when we're all moved in together. A small one.




Helenet: Well. As long as you're happy. My sweet boy, you really are grown-up now, aren't you? I will miss having you here.




Angus: I'm sure we'll be over here all the time. You'll need a babysitter again soon. And, um, you and Arturo are definitely better cooks than either of us.

Helenet: *laughs* Don't tell him that, it'll just go to his head. You know you and Gytha will always be welcome at my table. Although we may need a bigger table at this rate.




Angus: You'll be happier staying here with Willow and your pup, Snow. But I'll make sure to come by to give you lots of scritches.




Anyway, time to kick Angus out send him off to his own household with Gytha. 👋

Angus: Mum, don't cry. We'll only be over there—um, you can literally see the house from here when the leaves are off the trees.

Helenet: I can't help it, it's the baby. *sniff* And once you were that baby!

Angus: I'm not sure that's entirely how it works?

Helenet: Hush and let me fuss over you one more time.


* * *








Xiuying brought Senovara along to visit Lune today, and the puppy is the hottest commodity around.

Lune: Isn't she so cute? She's gonna grow up to be a really big dog.

Senovara: Lune, your dog is a boy.

Lune: What? How do you know?

Senovara: Because I've seen boy dogs before?




Lune: Oh. Well, Toast can be a girl if he wants to be.

Xiuying: I don't think animals really care what you call them like we do.

Lune: Yeah!




Speaking of Toast growing up.




Lune: This is how people say hello. You shake hands! You're gonna need to know this, Toast.






Dog time cut short, time for more horrible letters. 😔




Helenet needed some Popularity sim time out of the house. Spotted: Jia and her kinda-girlfriend. Ebba, if you break Jia's heart, I'm gonna be so upset.






Gytha: Maybe one of you could give me some cooking tips sometime? I wouldn't mind knowing a little more than I do... I'm really good at porridge and that’s about it.

Helenet: Arturo loves teaching people things. Come over anytime, sweetheart.










I might feel bad about making Arturo take care of the children so often if he didn't seem to enjoy spending time with them so much.








This round might be shorter without all the toddler spam... but it's cute!






River gets invited for dinner whenever they happen to walk by. We practically have enough witches here for a new coven now.




Father explodes in a flurry of fur, +2,000 aspiration points.








Elmet: The girls are all sound asleep. How about I cook a fish for us, and then we can go run around the woods and maybe make out against a tree?

Arturo: An appealing proposition. After the dishes are washed.

Elmet: You're surprisingly domestic now. Like an old tomcat that's been lured in by a saucer of cream.

Arturo: Even forest creatures dislike stinky dinner plates, wolf.




Elmet: Do you really think it was a ghost?

Arturo: You humans are all 'by the spirits' this and 'oh spirits' that, but this is a step too far for you?

Elmet: I never said I believe in them.



Arturo: But you do believe in other odd or unnatural things.

Elmet: Well, yeah, werewolves, curses, and occasionally rude forest dwellers of unknown origin are tangible things. Never met a spirit, personally.

Arturo: That you know of.






They do a lot more making out than fishing these days (the pond is frozen anyway).








Helenet: Eep! You smell like forest, love. I hope you brushed all the leaves off before getting in bed.

Elmet: 'Course. You think Arturo would stand for leaves in his bed?

Helenet: I mean... he did live in a tree until recently.

Elmet: Hm, good point.


* * *




He's so happy to get to clean up breakfast dishes.




Helenet: Good morning. I'm sorry I haven't been able to make up your dream tea yet. There's something I want from the forest for it, and, well. *gestures at belly* I’m a bit more uncomfortable this time around.

Arturo: It's fine, witch. I'd prefer you not to go clambering around the woods in your state.

Helenet: You need to sleep more, though.

Arturo: I am perfectly functional on this level of sleep.

Helenet: Yes, I can that tell from how you keep snapping at me.

Arturo: ...Apologies.








It's Helenet's turn to get taken out on a date, albeit not to run around the pond and make out against trees. Maybe if she was less heavily pregnant.




:)





* * *










Lune and Toast finally master 'shake'. Next up: 'speak'! I'm sure everyone will be thrilled to have the wolves howling even more than they already do.








Helenet: Say 'hi' to your daddies—oooh, hang on, mummy needs to put you down.




Bro, you should be used to this by now.




Lune is learning things she was NOT interested in learning.




After a few crashes and some moving around, baby Faolán is here! And he's probably not an omen of some coming apocalypse! He inherited Helenet's green eye color that I gave him in SimPe because I was tired of everyone getting Elmet's eyes. So, now we have Moon Moon, Little Wolf, and... Fiona.


* * *




I do love how Helenet just leaves her children in the care of a bunch of wolves and some guy she found in the forest.






The family came over to meet Faolán (except I forgot Orla, I'm sorry Orla! I'll make sure you meet the baby next round!!). I'm sure Drustan is super thrilled that he has to watch Angus and Gytha make eyes at each other at every family event from now on.




This is a bad look on you, Dunk.




I bet Jia and Lune will be great friends when Lune gets a bit older.
















Lune: Eek! Mean doggy! Don't growl at me, that's not nice!

Random wolf: :(




Helenet: Lune, you like learning about plants with Arturo. Would you like to learn about the plants I use in my work?

Lune: Mm... do I have to write anythin' about them?

Helenet: No.

Lune: Okay.

Well, that will have to wait for next round, since it's the last day of the season.








Arturo hikes the woods at night with the wolves, and occasionally brings back plants for Helenet's herb collection. Once she's fully recovered from Faolán's birth, they will go look together for her herb for the dream tea.