The Eagle and the Vixen (Closed)

[The Selkie]

Chris thanked her with a nod.
He wasn't much of a wine drinker, either, but how should she know.
The waitress left, announcing the food would be there in a few moments, then went over to the businessmen - who, after receiving their wine, instantly started a wild discussion in some weird foreign language with a lot of vowels stressed with a long, falling pitch accent, and much of words ending in -o.
"Obviously" - he said. "Judging by the smell, it won't take a long time anymore, though."
From back home, Chris was used to the words 'in a few moments' said by restaurant staff having very different meanings, ranging from one minute to half an hour. But this time, he was sure they genuinely would not have to wait for long.

"No, not really. Maybe a minute or two.", I guessed, my mouth already watering.
Amy was hiding the same fact by a sip of her tea. Back straight, small sip, no slurping and like classical Lady raised to Foreign Manners - it might be a bit of a discordancy to know, what she modelled in and what she usually earned her money with, but it looked good, very posh, in fact.
With a small smile, she challenged me.
Well, we were both of good houses, which also taught Foreign Manners, so I could not let that stand, chaging my sitting posture to proper posture, legs crossed by the ankles, legs together and upright.
Finn looked to Chris... and rolled his eyes with a small smile.

[Lillorainen]

"No, not really. Maybe a minute or two.", I guessed, my mouth already watering.
Amy was hiding the same fact by a sip of her tea. Back straight, small sip, no slurping and like classical Lady raised to Foreign Manners - it might be a bit of a discordancy to know, what she modelled in and what she usually earned her money with, but it looked good, very posh, in fact.
With a small smile, she challenged me.
Well, we were both of good houses, which also taught Foreign Manners, so I could not let that stand, chaging my sitting posture to proper posture, legs crossed by the ankles, legs together and upright.
Finn looked to Chris... and rolled his eyes with a small smile.

Chris noticed Cel's and Amy's attempt to sit and drink their tea in a distinct posh manner.
He caught Finn's glance, smiled back and very slightly shook his head while snorting and rolling his eyes, too.
Now, he sat as straight as he could, pushing his breast out a bit, cleared his throat and imitated a posh accent, "Ladies, you are doing thaht very fooyne, onlee-y some slooyght mistaake - you forgawt to spread yoar finguhzz when haahving yoar teea!"
He tried not to laugh at his poor attempt of imitating an aristocratic English accent, but he failed - at least, he snorted a bit. Then, he had another sip of his white wine, ostentatiously spreading his little finger when raising the glass.

[The Selkie]

Chris noticed Cel's and Amy's attempt to sit and drink their tea in a distinct posh manner.
He caught Finn's glance, smiled back and very slightly shook his head while snorting and rolling his eyes, too.
Now, he sat as straight as he could, pushing his breast out a bit, cleared his throat and imitated a posh accent, "Ladies, you are doing thaht very fooyne, onlee-y some slooyght mistaake - you forgawt to spread yoar finguhzz when haahving yoar teea!"
He tried not to laugh at his poor attempt of imitating an aristocratic English accent, but he failed - at least, he snorted a bit. Then, he had another sip of his white wine, ostentatiously spreading his little finger when raising the glass.

"Actually, good Sir...", Amy spoke in a distinctively posh accent, Received Pronounciation, a.k.a. Tarkin's English. "Stinking out your pinky is rather rude, speaking of elitism and a lack of manners." She raised her eyebrow, glancing over to Finn, who rose up in his seat as well. Apparently satisfied, she turned back to Chris. "So, how are we supposed to take it?"
I motioned for Amy to slow a bit, to which she replied by raising an eyebrow.
Sure, manners were important, but we were doing this in good fun, not to out-manner each other. Especially since we were Selkie and we called those Foreign Manners for a reason.
Besides, Chris' accent was funny, a good mockery of Posh-English-Speakers - with whom I had the pleasure already and who had actually stared more on my tits then Not-Posh-English-Speakers, so I didn't have high expectations with that particular brand of people. Chris' parody was on the mark.

[Lillorainen]

"Actually, good Sir...", Amy spoke in a distinctively posh accent, Received Pronounciation, a.k.a. Tarkin's English. "Stinking out your pinky is rather rude, speaking of elitism and a lack of manners." She raised her eyebrow, glancing over to Finn, who rose up in his seat as well. Apparently satisfied, she turned back to Chris. "So, how are we supposed to take it?"
I motioned for Amy to slow a bit, to which she replied by raising an eyebrow.
Sure, manners were important, but we were doing this in good fun, not to out-manner each other. Especially since we were Selkie and we called those Foreign Manners for a reason.
Besides, Chris' accent was funny, a good mockery of Posh-English-Speakers - with whom I had the pleasure already and who had actually stared more on my tits then Not-Posh-English-Speakers, so I didn't have high expectations with that particular brand of people. Chris' parody was on the mark.

Indeed, it was called Foreign Manners for a reason - and with 'foreign', surely nobody talked about Chris' homeland with its remarkably folksy culture, where manners didn't really go beyond a simple 'just don't be a pig' etiquette. As soon as you managed to avoid burping and spilling around, everyone was fine with you. Avoiding slurping surely helped, too, although that was still accepted when it was about coffee or beer (mixing the latter with anything else was considered a sacrilege, though). There really wasn't a lot one could do wrong.
Also, Posh-English speaking foreigners in Lillorainen, much as their German equivalents with their purified, hyper-correct Hochdeutsch who stared at people like broken cars when theirs was even just slightly accented and grammar messed up, tended also to be the tourists who were most likely to cross lines - so indeed, expectations had hit the rocks a long time ago.
"Okay, first of all, let's switch back to normal English before it gives me a headache" - Chris said, grinning, indeed in a normal accent again. "And then, just try not to spill around, and everything's fine."

[The Selkie]

Indeed, it was called Foreign Manners for a reason - and with 'foreign', surely nobody talked about Chris' homeland with its remarkably folksy culture, where manners didn't really go beyond a simple 'just don't be a pig' etiquette. As soon as you managed to avoid burping and spilling around, everyone was fine with you. Avoiding slurping surely helped, too, although that was still accepted when it was about coffee or beer (mixing the latter with anything else was considered a sacrilege, though). There really wasn't a lot one could do wrong.
Also, Posh-English speaking foreigners in Lillorainen, much as their German equivalents with their purified, hyper-correct Hochdeutsch who stared at people like broken cars when theirs was even just slightly accented and grammar messed up, tended also to be the tourists who were most likely to cross lines - so indeed, expectations had hit the rocks a long time ago.
"Okay, first of all, let's switch back to normal English before it gives me a headache" - Chris said, grinning, indeed in a normal accent again. "And then, just try not to spill around, and everything's fine."

"Good idea.", Finn said almost immediately, leaning back, "We are amongst friends, after all, aren't we?"
Amy looked at him with a raised eyebrow, raising her cup to her lips, turned her eyes onto it... and slurped silently. "Indeed we are.", she said as the cup was on the saucer again, speaking in her normal, slight accent again.
I grinned.
"Yep.", I agreed, leaning back into a more comfortable position, "We don't need to be posh here. Still, though, Chris... look over there." I motioned to where the Khana was sitting with Mister Folaíochta and the others, the two men in their conversation, while the Kyrenaian was teaching Enya proper posture and manners, both smiling and apparently having fun. "As for spilling, we aren't offshore oil rigs, so we should be fine."

[Lillorainen]

"Good idea.", Finn said almost immediately, leaning back, "We are amongst friends, after all, aren't we?"
Amy looked at him with a raised eyebrow, raising her cup to her lips, turned her eyes onto it... and slurped silently. "Indeed we are.", she said as the cup was on the saucer again, speaking in her normal, slight accent again.
I grinned.
"Yep.", I agreed, leaning back into a more comfortable position, "We don't need to be posh here. Still, though, Chris... look over there." I motioned to where the Khana was sitting with Mister Folaíochta and the others, the two men in their conversation, while the Kyrenaian was teaching Enya proper posture and manners, both smiling and apparently having fun. "As for spilling, we aren't offshore oil rigs, so we should be fine."

Chris leaned back, too. Indeed, they were amongst friends, which he confirmed with a nod.
Amy had a sip of her tea with a silent slurp.
Following Cel's motion, Chris looked over to Mr. Folaíochta and the others - Enya obviously had fun being taught manners by the Khana. "Surely useful knowledge that can't harm" - Chris said.
While Cel was saying they weren't offshore oil rigs, Chris raised his glass again, this time without spreading his pinky, and taking the sip as he was used to it - without any audible slurp, but also not trying to hide that he was swallowing. As he was done, he put it onto the table again. "Yeah, really good stuff, they have in here."

[The Selkie]

Chris leaned back, too. Indeed, they were amongst friends, which he confirmed with a nod.
Amy had a sip of her tea with a silent slurp.
Following Cel's motion, Chris looked over to Mr. Folaíochta and the others - Enya obviously had fun being taught manners by the Khana. "Surely useful knowledge that can't harm" - Chris said.
While Cel was saying they weren't offshore oil rigs, Chris raised his glass again, this time without spreading his pinky, and taking the sip as he was used to it - without any audible slurp, but also not trying to hide that he was swallowing. As he was done, he put it onto the table again. "Yeah, really good stuff, they have in here."

"Well...", I said with a small smile, "...she said from Lutetii, I'm going to believe her, mainly because I have no clue about wines except that we don't grow any."
"That's not entirely true.", Finn said, "An Uncle of mine is growing some for experimenting in the Trossach."
"Really?", I asked with a bit of surprise evident in my voice - but my train of thought was interrupted by the doors to the kitchen opening again, this time allowing waitresses through carrying the dinner.
And how delicious it smelled!
Waitresses tall and slender, small and cute, and anywhere inbetween, were bringing the food out, a caravan of steaming plates and salad bowls, which parted ways time and time again until the correct amount of people and plates were by the right places, the salads being served after the main course and said main courses looking and smelling wonderfully.
I almost wanted to dig in right away, but Finn's stern glare held me and Amy back as Miss Nora came out.
We all lowered our heads in a gesture, that should seem familiar to Chris, for he had observed something similar with me during Purgatio: Mealtime Prayers. Miss Nora spoke a few words in Selkie, thanking Lodan Lir for the bounty of the Seas, thanking Rhiannon for the bounty of the Fields and thanking Gavida for the steady hand while preparing this meal. Then she spoke in English: "With this done... a short moment for our foreign guests to speak their prayers."
I glanced over to Chris while the Lutetiian Businessman and his son spoke theirs in silence.

[Lillorainen]

"Well...", I said with a small smile, "...she said from Lutetii, I'm going to believe her, mainly because I have no clue about wines except that we don't grow any."
"That's not entirely true.", Finn said, "An Uncle of mine is growing some for experimenting in the Trossach."
"Really?", I asked with a bit of surprise evident in my voice - but my train of thought was interrupted by the doors to the kitchen opening again, this time allowing waitresses through carrying the dinner.
And how delicious it smelled!
Waitresses tall and slender, small and cute, and anywhere inbetween, were bringing the food out, a caravan of steaming plates and salad bowls, which parted ways time and time again until the correct amount of people and plates were by the right places, the salads being served after the main course and said main courses looking and smelling wonderfully.
I almost wanted to dig in right away, but Finn's stern glare held me and Amy back as Miss Nora came out.
We all lowered our heads in a gesture, that should seem familiar to Chris, for he had observed something similar with me during Purgatio: Mealtime Prayers. Miss Nora spoke a few words in Selkie, thanking Lodan Lir for the bounty of the Seas, thanking Rhiannon for the bounty of the Fields and thanking Gavida for the steady hand while preparing this meal. Then she spoke in English: "With this done... a short moment for our foreign guests to speak their prayers."
I glanced over to Chris while the Lutetiian Businessman and his son spoke theirs in silence.

Chris was surprised, too - he would not have expected to meet a Selkie who knew someone running a vineyard in the Free Lands, and if it was only for experiments.
The food came, it really smelled delicious. Finn's stern glare to Cel to kept her from digging in right away.
The gesture indeed was familiar to Chris. Miss Nora spoke a few words in Selkie language, which Chris figured as the Mealtime Prayer right away - it was not the first time he heard it.
As Miss Nora finished and announced that it was time for foreign guests to speak their prayers, Chris lowered his head, closed his eyes and spoke a short prayer in Ancient Norse, thanking the Gods for this meal (and, while he was at it, Freyja for something else).
When he finished, he opened his eyes again.

[The Selkie]

Chris was surprised, too - he would not have expected to meet a Selkie who knew someone running a vineyard in the Free Lands, and if it was only for experiments.
The food came, it really smelled delicious. Finn's stern glare to Cel to kept her from digging in right away.
The gesture indeed was familiar to Chris. Miss Nora spoke a few words in Selkie language, which Chris figured as the Mealtime Prayer right away - it was not the first time he heard it.
As Miss Nora finished and announced that it was time for foreign guests to speak their prayers, Chris lowered his head, closed his eyes and spoke a short prayer in Ancient Norse, thanking the Gods for this meal (and, while he was at it, Freya for something else).
When he finished, he opened his eyes again.

"Well, then.", Miss Nora said after a few moments, maybe a minute, enough for most to finish their prayers. "Dig in, everyone! Hope you like the food!"
"Oh, I don't think, that that's going to be a problem!", someone remarked and digging in we did - with gusto, as it was really as delicious as it looked. The tea was wonderful as well and, from the corner of my eye, I saw another waitress floating in and out of the kitchen putting down bowls with unuseable meat onto the ground.
It might not have been as delicious for humans, but Little Black Foxes and other animals currently with the guests loved it!
And so did I.
After the initial hunger was sated, I grinned at the table after swallowing (of course, we aren't barbarians): "That one was quite a good catch!"

[Lillorainen]

"Well, then.", Miss Nora said after a few moments, maybe a minute, enough for most to finish their prayers. "Dig in, everyone! Hope you like the food!"
"Oh, I don't think, that that's going to be a problem!", someone remarked and digging in we did - with gusto, as it was really as delicious as it looked. The tea was wonderful as well and, from the corner of my eye, I saw another waitress floating in and out of the kitchen putting down bowls with unuseable meat onto the ground.
It might not have been as delicious for humans, but Little Black Foxes and other animals currently with the guests loved it!
And so did I.
After the initial hunger was sated, I grinned at the table after swallowing (of course, we aren't barbarians): "That one was quite a good catch!"

It looked delicious, it smelled delicious ... and, after trying, Chris figured it was delicious.
Chris ate one piece after another until his initial hunger was sated; then, he started mashing his potatoes with his fork. He noticed that, obviously, in these parts, people were quite familiar with making potatoes with a proper hollandaise, too. Another difference between them and Posh-English speakers - two things, these would never manage: a decent sauce on the potatoes, and penalty shooting at football. Whereas, the latter was already changing ...
He swallowed, too, as Lillos were not barbarians, either, and said, "Yeah, we did a good job, eh?"

[The Selkie]

It looked delicious, it smelled delicious ... and, after trying, Chris figured it was delicious.
Chris ate one piece after another until his initial hunger was sated; then, he started mashing his potatoes with his fork. He noticed that, obviously, in these parts, people were quite familiar with making potatoes with a proper hollandaise, too. Another difference between them and Posh-English speakers - two things, these would never manage: a decent sauce on the potatoes, and penalty shooting at football. Whereas, the latter was already changing ...
He swallowed, too, as Lillos were not barbarians, either, and said, "Yeah, we did a good job, eh?"

Cutting my own potatoes small instead of mashing them, I replied to Chris: "That we indeed did. And the kitchen, they did an awesome job!"
The protest Finn had on his lips died there, delayed in the first place because he had the mouth full.
Amy nodded as she sipped of her tea. "Indeed, the two of you did well, but compliments to the chefs as well." One of the Mini-Waitresses, standing behind her, scampered off. Amy grinned and leaned forward slightly. "I must admit, that I can not cook that well."
"At least you are not Fiona!", Finn said with a small smile, "She can burn water."
"Well, I make a good buttered bread.", I boasted, full of pride!

[Lillorainen]

Cutting my own potatoes small instead of mashing them, I replied to Chris: "That we indeed did. And the kitchen, they did an awesome job!"
The protest Finn had on his lips died there, delayed in the first place because he had the mouth full.
Amy nodded as she sipped of her tea. "Indeed, the two of you did well, but compliments to the chefs as well." One of the Mini-Waitresses, standing behind her, scampered off. Amy grinned and leaned forward slightly. "I must admit, that I can not cook that well."
"At least you are not Fiona!", Finn said with a small smile, "She can burn water."
"Well, I make a good buttered bread.", I boasted, full of pride!

Chris noticed that Cel was cutting her potatoes into pieces with her knife, which was very unusual in the parts Chris was from - yet generally accepted nowadays; he still had learned it differently as a child.
He nodded about the good job the chefs had done.
He laughed about the Selkie's statement on their talents at cooking.
"Good job, Cel" - he said. "There's so much one can do wrong when making buttered breads! Aside from that, I'm uniquely talented at pushing deep-frozen pizza into a furnace - another thing that can go wrong if you don't pay attention."
He ate the next piece of fishcut and swallowed it down.
"Oh, and I can dial numbers of delivery services" - he added.

[The Selkie]

Chris noticed that Cel was cutting her potatoes into pieces with her knife, which was very unusual in the parts Chris was from - yet generally accepted nowadays; he still had learned it differently as a child.
He nodded about the good job the chefs had done.
He laughed about the Selkie's statement on their talents at cooking.
"Good job, Cel" - he said. "There's so much one can do wrong when making buttered breads! Aside from that, I'm uniquely talented at pushing deep-frozen pizza into a furnace - another thing that can go wrong if you don't pay attention."
He ate the next piece of fishcut and swallowed it down.
"Oh, and I can dial numbers of delivery services" - he added.

Finn swallowed and then spoke up a bit sheepish: "I'm actually not half-bad, I'd say. I make a good Stobhach, given the right ingredients, and I am really good with sweets..." There was a slight boasting grin in his expression at that. "...but I am not good at exotic stuff - pizza, be it deep frozen or not, for example."
"I can hold my own as well, but really - Finn here is a good cook, when it comes to sweets, his Scipeáil and his Battered Sausages are to die for!", Amy said with a grin, which made the young man blush slightly, "If you want to learn how to make something awesome for your girlfriend, ask him! He knows every trick in the book!"
"Not every.", Finn protested, "But most."

[Lillorainen]

Finn swallowed and then spoke up a bit sheepish: "I'm actually not half-bad, I'd say. I make a good Stobhach, given the right ingredients, and I am really good with sweets..." There was a slight boasting grin in his expression at that. "...but I am not good at exotic stuff - pizza, be it deep frozen or not, for example."
"I can hold my own as well, but really - Finn here is a good cook, when it comes to sweets, his Scipeáil and his Battered Sausages are to die for!", Amy said with a grin, which made the young man blush slightly, "If you want to learn how to make something awesome for your girlfriend, ask him! He knows every trick in the book!"
"Not every.", Finn protested, "But most."

Chris grinned. "So, I think I'm gonna take a couple of lessons then. I'm surely able to supply myself with food, but I fail at decent cooking a lot."
He shrugged.
Then he took the next bit. After swallowing it down, he said, "That's the disadvantage of living in a single household for years. Making a full-scale menu for myself alone doesn't really pay off. It only makes sense if you live in a multiple-persons household."

[The Selkie]

Finn swallowed and then spoke up a bit sheepish: "I'm actually not half-bad, I'd say. I make a good Stobhach, given the right ingredients, and I am really good with sweets..." There was a slight boasting grin in his expression at that. "...but I am not good at exotic stuff - pizza, be it deep frozen or not, for example."
"I can hold my own as well, but really - Finn here is a good cook, when it comes to sweets, his Scipeáil and his Battered Sausages are to die for!", Amy said with a grin, which made the young man blush slightly, "If you want to learn how to make something awesome for your girlfriend, ask him! He knows every trick in the book!"
"Not every.", Finn protested, "But most."

Chris grinned. "So, I think I'm gonna take a couple of lessons then. I'm surely able to supply myself with food, but I fail at decent cooking a lot."
He shrugged.
Then he took the next bit. After swallowing it down, he said, "That's the disadvantage of living in a single household for years. Making a full-scale menu for myself alone doesn't really pay off. It only makes sense if you live in a multiple-persons household."

"Or if you have friends over quite often. Or cook for a whole foto-shooting's worth of staff and models.", Finn replied with a nod, "If I wouldn't do that, I'd be very good with instant noodles as well."
He took a bite as Amy took over.
"Look at it from the bright side.", she said and turned to her meal, "How many men can say, that they not only cooked exclusively for a swimsuit catalogue's worth of models, but that they all also liked it?"
I nodded. "Catering services suck.", I added, "And they most likely don't swallow."
"Indeed.", Amy said and took the next bite.
"But really...", Finn added, looking at Chris, "One could think, that models don't each much to keep the figure intacts, but nope... they eat like horses!" Amy and I glared at him, our mouths full - no matter what he would add, we would take bitter revenge later and he was well aware of that! "It is a demanding occupation... and what's left goes into the right places, I'd say."
Nope, we would still take bloody revenge.

[Lillorainen]

"Or if you have friends over quite often. Or cook for a whole foto-shooting's worth of staff and models.", Finn replied with a nod, "If I wouldn't do that, I'd be very good with instant noodles as well."
He took a bite as Amy took over.
"Look at it from the bright side.", she said and turned to her meal, "How many men can say, that they not only cooked exclusively for a swimsuit catalogue's worth of models, but that they all also liked it?"
I nodded. "Catering services suck.", I added, "And they most likely don't swallow."
"Indeed.", Amy said and took the next bite.
"But really...", Finn added, looking at Chris, "One could think, that models don't each much to keep the figure intacts, but nope... they eat like horses!" Amy and I glared at him, our mouths full - no matter what he would add, we would take bitter revenge later and he was well aware of that! "It is a demanding occupation... and what's left goes into the right places, I'd say."
Nope, we would still take bloody revenge.

Chris nodded. Both cases were rare with him ...
He snorted when Finn talked about models eating like horses. It wasn't exactly new to him that it was rather a legend that models didn't eat much - at least it was like that in Lillorainen and surely not different in here.
Judging by Cel's and Amy's glare, they did not exactly appreciate him saying that.
"I'm sure about that - it's the art of modeling ..." He shrugged and grinned.

[The Selkie]

Chris nodded. Both cases were rare with him ...
He snorted when Finn talked about models eating like horses. It wasn't exactly new to him that it was rather a legend that models didn't eat much - at least it was like that in Lillorainen and surely not different in here.
Judging by Cel's and Amy's glare, they did not exactly appreciate him saying that.
"I'm sure about that - it's the art of modeling ..." He shrugged and grinned.

"Indeed.", Amy said, her tone not exactly appeased, but not enraged either. "It's an art. As is photography, especially with young models, isn't it?"
Finn sighed. "Don't remind me of Lil' Enya...", he groaned and began to sort his steamed veggies a bit. He looked to Chris. "You see, little kids are cute, aren't they? Everyone loves them, they are adorable and everything is wonderful on the photoes... in reality..."
"Eat, before it gets cold.", Amy said to the young man, before she continued: "Basically, he had a shooting with Mhairin Mamaí, a wonderful woman, who could really wear the summer dresses we put her into. And someone had the bright idea to get her daughter, three-year-old Enya, onto the job as well. The girl was so absolutely hyper, a bag of fleas on a sugar rush is a zombie on valium compared to that." I grinned into my hand, as I knew Enya and her Mom, indeed a wonderful woman... if Felicia was the shooting's Big Sis, she was the Team Mom. And her daughter was a hyper-active little angel. Amy continued: "Getting her to stand still with her mother was a challenge..." Finn, his mouth full, nodded. "...so that the best images came into being, when she was all spent and sleeping in her Mom's lap. Absolutely adorable to look at, but the plan definately did not work!"
I giggled into my hand, trying to mask it behind my hand.

[Lillorainen]

"Indeed.", Amy said, her tone not exactly appeased, but not enraged either. "It's an art. As is photography, especially with young models, isn't it?"
Finn sighed. "Don't remind me of Lil' Enya...", he groaned and began to sort his steamed veggies a bit. He looked to Chris. "You see, little kids are cute, aren't they? Everyone loves them, they are adorable and everything is wonderful on the photoes... in reality..."
"Eat, before it gets cold.", Amy said to the young man, before she continued: "Basically, he had a shooting with Mhairin Mamaí, a wonderful woman, who could really wear the summer dresses we put her into. And someone had the bright idea to get her daughter, three-year-old Enya, onto the job as well. The girl was so absolutely hyper, a bag of fleas on a sugar rush is a zombie on valium compared to that." I grinned into my hand, as I knew Enya and her Mom, indeed a wonderful woman... if Felicia was the shooting's Big Sis, she was the Team Mom. And her daughter was a hyper-active little angel. Amy continued: "Getting her to stand still with her mother was a challenge..." Finn, his mouth full, nodded. "...so that the best images came into being, when she was all spent and sleeping in her Mom's lap. Absolutely adorable to look at, but the plan definately did not work!"
I giggled into my hand, trying to mask it behind my hand.

Chris tried not to show too much amusement about the episode of Lil' Enya and her Mom - yet, he could not entirely hide it.
Cel tried to hide her giggling behind her hand - a rather poor attempt, as Chris noticed it all the same, and he was sure that Amy and Finn did not miss that, either.
He remembered that conversation with Cel on how cute and fun on the one hand, but also annoying on the other hand children could be. It also asmused him, now that he was thinking about it, how many episodes of his life had taken place on Nienhagen's subway trains - as if he had spent half of his life in the U-Bahn Rathedelta ... his botched First Kiss and so on. Indeed, the metro system shared by Nienhagen and many municipalities around was quite not unimportant in his biography (so far).
"Kids have their own minds" - he said, still grinning. "No one could have expected this before, of course."

[The Selkie]

Chris tried not to show too much amusement about the episode of Lil' Enya and her Mom - yet, he could not entirely hide it.
Cel tried to hide her giggling behind her hand - a rather poor attempt, as Chris noticed it all the same, and he was sure that Amy and Finn did not miss that, either.
He remembered that conversation with Cel on how cute and fun on the one hand, but also annoying on the other hand children could be. It also asmused him, now that he was thinking about it, how many episodes of his life had taken place on Nienhagen's subway trains - as if he had spent half of his life in the U-Bahn Rathedelta ... his botched First Kiss and so on. Indeed, the metro system shared by Nienhagen and many municipalities around was quite not unimportant in his biography (so far).
"Kids have their own minds" - he said, still grinning. "No one could have expected this before, of course."

"I did.", Finn said as his mouth was empty again, piercing a piece of veggie with his fork and pointing it at Amy, "She did, too. Indeed, kids, and especially small ones, have their own minds, but we thought, that we could reign her in with the promise of sweets and games."
"Long story short, Lil' Enya was too much of a whirlwind to react to that and when we finally had enough photographs together to play, she was all tuckered out.", Amy finished the story, "But Mistress Mamaí was awesome in handling her, especially redressing. If I develop half of the patience and skill at that by the time I am procreating, I'll be one of the best Moms in the world!"
Finn nodded. "She was indeed awesome.", he agreed, before he looked to Chris, "You saw Cel with her foxes, right?" I nodded for him. "Like that, only calmer, with a steadier hand, but just as loving. You should see her brush her hair out."

[Lillorainen]

"I did.", Finn said as his mouth was empty again, piercing a piece of veggie with his fork and pointing it at Amy, "She did, too. Indeed, kids, and especially small ones, have their own minds, but we thought, that we could reign her in with the promise of sweets and games."
"Long story short, Lil' Enya was too much of a whirlwind to react to that and when we finally had enough photographs together to play, she was all tuckered out.", Amy finished the story, "But Mistress Mamaí was awesome in handling her, especially redressing. If I develop half of the patience and skill at that by the time I am procreating, I'll be one of the best Moms in the world!"
Finn nodded. "She was indeed awesome.", he agreed, before he looked to Chris, "You saw Cel with her foxes, right?" I nodded for him. "Like that, only calmer, with a steadier hand, but just as loving. You should see her brush her hair out."

"Okay, if the promise of sweets and games won't even help, I'd be totally overchallenged then" - Chris said. "They might have their own minds, but some seem to be even more special. When I was at that age, candies were a 100% safe way to get me calm."
He took some piece of his mashed potatoes again.
"At least, if you guys still got awesome photos from it, all that effort has still paid off, even if it's not the result that you originally planned to get, right?"

[The Selkie]

"Okay, if the promise of sweets and games won't even help, I'd be totally overchallenged then" - Chris said. "They might have their own minds, but some seem to be even more special. When I was at that age, candies were a 100% safe way to get me calm."
He took some piece of his mashed potatoes again.
"At least, if you guys still got awesome photos from it, all that effort has still paid off, even if it's not the result that you originally planned to get, right?"

"From that angle, yes, we won.", Finn said with a small smile, "Still, it was more effort then we planned for... but then again, it was kind-of fun..."
"In the masochistic way?", Amy asked with a grin.
"In that way, yes, but more importantly in the way, that reminds a man of there being more important things in the world then the job.", he said with a small smile, "I'd love to have a family one day. That, and playing catch with her was much fun." The last was added with an evil glint in the eye, looking to Amy, who gulped. "Do you want to or shall I?"
I looked to Chris and shrugged - I had no ruddy clue about what they were talking about, instead proceeding with my meal, which was delicious.

[Lillorainen]

"From that angle, yes, we won.", Finn said with a small smile, "Still, it was more effort then we planned for... but then again, it was kind-of fun..."
"In the masochistic way?", Amy asked with a grin.
"In that way, yes, but more importantly in the way, that reminds a man of there being more important things in the world then the job.", he said with a small smile, "I'd love to have a family one day. That, and playing catch with her was much fun." The last was added with an evil glint in the eye, looking to Amy, who gulped. "Do you want to or shall I?"
I looked to Chris and shrugged - I had no ruddy clue about what they were talking about, instead proceeding with my meal, which was delicious.

Chris hadn't really put big effort in whether or not having a family someday ... he wasn't really at the age were people tended to plan families in detail, at least not nowadays. It had been different in the First and Second Generation of Federation Lillos - but the 1980s were over, and so were the 1990s, decades where birth rates had been higher than in most poor countries ... they had hit the rocks since like 2000, to an extent that Chris' generation actually would have to do something about it ...
Mah, that could wait. The Gods had created the time, but not the haste.
Finn was indicating something that Amy did not appreciate a lot, but even Cel didn't get what it was, so Chris shrugged back and continued with his meal, too.

[The Selkie]

Chris hadn't really put big effort in whether or not having a family someday ... he wasn't really at the age were people tended to plan families in detail, at least not nowadays. It had been different in the First and Second Generation of Federation Lillos - but the 1980s were over, and so were the 1990s, decades where birth rates had been higher than in most poor countries ... they had hit the rocks since like 2000, to an extent that Chris' generation actually would have to do something about it ...
Mah, that could wait. The Gods had created the time, but not the haste.
Finn was indicating something that Amy did not appreciate a lot, but even Cel didn't get what it was, so Chris shrugged back and continued with his meal, too.

Finn, turning back to his meal, left the floor to Amy, who smiled slightly.
"Well, as mentioned, Lil' Enya is a little whirlwind...", she began and then told us a small story about Amy, Finn and Lil' Enya playing catch... technically in the middle of a foto-shooting, on a small farm in the Trossach. Of how Enya had led them through a wild ride, into the barn and out of it again, about Amy slipping on something and landing face first in a pile of cow manure. Enya had apologized, afraid of being in trouble, only to narrowly dodge an attempted hug by Amy (who was still rather manure-covered), which then began the chase anew. It ended half an hour later with an enraged Mistress Mamaí and both Amy and Enya in the little creek by the farm, washing each other, grinning.
I laughed heartily with Finn and Amy, for it was a fun story.
And to be honest, it could have happened to me as well.

[Lillorainen]

Finn, turning back to his meal, left the floor to Amy, who smiled slightly.
"Well, as mentioned, Lil' Enya is a little whirlwind...", she began and then told us a small story about Amy, Finn and Lil' Enya playing catch... technically in the middle of a foto-shooting, on a small farm in the Trossach. Of how Enya had led them through a wild ride, into the barn and out of it again, about Amy slipping on something and landing face first in a pile of cow manure. Enya had apologized, afraid of being in trouble, only to narrowly dodge an attempted hug by Amy (who was still rather manure-covered), which then began the chase anew. It ended half an hour later with an enraged Mistress Mamaí and both Amy and Enya in the little creek by the farm, washing each other, grinning.
I laughed heartily with Finn and Amy, for it was a fun story.
And to be honest, it could have happened to me as well.

Luckily, Chris had just finished his last couple of bites when Amy finished her story. He laughed heartily, too.
"Reminds me of playing with my cousin Robert when we were young" - he said. "Just that it was a horse stable, during vacation in the countryside. We were playing hide-and-seek, and he had the glorious idea to hide in one of the boxes in the stable, which seemed logical to him - given that the riders were on a ride, so the boxes were empty. Now, his bad luck was that no one had cleaned up the boxes yet, so you can imagine the literal shit he's ended up in. Another misfortune was the fact that Aunt Gaby, who has a quite radical attitude on cleanliness, especially when it comes to brand-new clothes, has found him before me. She instantly sent him to shower - and on this of all days, the boiler happened to be broken! He could have joined the Refreshment Cult after that."
He let a beat pass.
"Still wondering why he wanted to join the Navy, given he hates water. Especially since then."

[The Selkie]

Luckily, Chris had just finished his last couple of bites when Amy finished her story. He laughed heartily, too.
"Reminds me of playing with my cousin Robert when we were young" - he said. "Just that it was a horse stable, during vacation in the countryside. We were playing hide-and-seek, and he had the glorious idea to hide in one of the boxes in the stable, which seemed logical to him - given that the riders were on a ride, so the boxes were empty. Now, his bad luck was that no one had cleaned up the boxes yet, so you can imagine the literal shit he's ended up in. Another misfortune was the fact that Aunt Gaby, who has a quite radical attitude on cleanliness, especially when it comes to brand-new clothes, has found him before me. She instantly sent him to shower - and on this of all days, the boiler happened to be broken! He could have joined the Refreshment Cult after that."
He let a beat pass.
"Still wondering why he wanted to join the Navy, given he hates water. Especially since then."

We laughed at that story, too, especially at the conclusion of him wanting to join the Navy - it seemed illogical for someone with a hate for water to join a Navy, which usually tended to operate on water.
It was one of those merry illogical things, which could only amuse.
Finn, finishing his meal, remarked with a smile: "Then he would be right at home with the SDF-Navy. They take non-swimmers as well - they defend the ships for longer."
I shook my head, grinning. "Too late, told him that joke already!"
"Och!", the young man made, grinning as well, "Well, first come, first served - or joke told, as the case may be. It's a classic, though!"
I nodded in agreement as I finished up my salad.