36 weeks: Oot and Aboot

[vinewood_wand]

Who:  Hermione Granger and OPEN
What:  Being OUTSIDE
Where: the streets of Aternaville. Possibly the Teaspoons.
When:  Friday, November 12, mid-morning
Status:  Open, open, open

Comments

[pendraeg]

Uther had resolved that as he had missed Arthur's infancy--or forgotten it; it was unclear to him how to think about the circumstances--he might experience that of the two children he was supposed to have fathered with Gorlois' daughter. He'd discovered a wheeled contraption he'd been told was meant for conveying them about out of doors, and so he had bundled them up and trundled them away.

He needed the excuse, at any rate, to get out, and the sun shone, and excited babbling seemed to indicate that the twins were glad also to be out of the dim stone edifice.

So Uther pushed them along a path through the park, heading in the direction of the mysterious and intriguing lights he had seen through the dark on his first night.

[vinewood_wand]

Torn between walking to the park and down into town, Hermione walked around the police station for a bit, and was considering walking the length of the block and back while she decided. Then, she noticed someone else walking in the park-- a man, with a pram! And, despite the fact that she was not the sort who typically chased after people to oogle their tiny children, she found herself wanting to flag him down. There were too few parents in the area, too few people she could possibly ask for advice.

Rather than actually wave to him, she simply doubled back, timing things so that she bumped into him as he came across the street. "Hello," she said cheerfully, as though she hadn't noticed him before, at all.

[pendraeg]

A woman, very much with child, approached. It was impossible for Uther to tell, given the strange dress and customs of the future, whether she was a lady, so he inclined his shoulders as he returned her greeting. "Good morning."

Gwydion looked up at the stranger solemnly from his seat. Eilonwy dropped her toy (a sort of golden dragon doll, as usual rather soggy) deliberately to the ground.

[vinewood_wand]

My, how formal! There was something very dignified about the way he carried himself, and his clothes... "Are you from the castle? I met Arthur, once, a while back, and Merlin, too..." She always turned just a little pink when mentioning Merlin, and covered it by stooping to pick up the dropped toy. Wrinkling her nose a bit, she brushed off the stray pieces of grass that were sticking to it before handing it back to the little girl. "I'm Hermione," she said. "Hermione Granger."

[vinewood_wand]

As soon as Gwydion stopped crying, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little of the strain easing out of her shoulders. Her own child- Rose? It felt unfamiliar to put a name to her, after all this time- was agitated, probably as a reaction to the stress she herself was feeling. But she scarcely had a moment to reflect on it before Uther held out Eilonwy for her to take.

Gingerly, Hermione accepted the little girl from him, taking care to find a more comfortable position to hold her in than she had when Gwydion was first thrust into her arms. "There, now, little one," she said softly. "I know you hardly know me, but I promise I'm--" with a little gasp, she stopped talking, and winced, as Rose kicked her soundly in her lung. "--nice," she finished breathlessly.

Turning her attention to Uther, she said, still sounding a little winded, "...what else can I tell you? What else do you want to know?"

[pendraeg]

Eilonwy blew a raspberry. She, apparently, was happy to be held by anyone. Little coquette.

"Well..." Uther said, feeling sheepish in spite of the fact that there was no reason he would know the answers to any of these questions. "Where is their mother? Where do we all live? Do you think she is there?"

It was strange, to think that somewhere, there was a woman with whom, though in a very different form, he was was parent to these children.