September 27, 2015

In Which Esela Dreads the Combined Stress

August 18, 1194

"So... it's only a few more weeks before Alina starts her leave." Esela said it mainly for the sake of something to say. Thetis was well aware of when Alina started her leave, but with the level of conversation required to distract the household these days, it was the most relevant topic not to have been exhausted.

That wouldn't last for long. "Yes, not long now."

"Will you be staying with her?"

Her mother-in-law nodded. Esela took that mostly with relief; with all this worry over Teodrin, maybe Thetis needed a change in walls.

"Perhaps I'll send Leonora along with you, in case you and Alina need help around the house."

"Oh, I doubt she'd enjoy that."

Esela doubted it too, but that was hardly her main concern. "Maybe not, but it never hurts to have an extra pair of hands around with a new baby, and Leonora's at the age now where a little extra work shouldn't be unexpected."

"Still, I'd feel better if you at least asked her to come with me rather than told her to." Thetis sighed. As far as Esela knew, the poor woman had never thought of herself a day in her life--and a missing son was how the world repaid her. "We should be fine if she chooses not to; Jothein works just downstairs, after all."

"I suppose so."

But maybe it was in Thetis's better interests if she could just focus more on her newest grandchild, without much interference from anyone else? A present and demanding baby would leave little time for thinking about Teodrin.

That, or the stress of the two combined would be too much to handle.

"Any chance that Florian might go along with you?" Her father-in-law, going by his oddly... well, not-odd behavior of late, might have needed a change too.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask." Her mother-in-law adjusted the pillow behind her back and sighed. "I'm sure the baron would be willing to give him some time."

NEXT CHAPTER:

3 comments:

Van said...

One of those "I'm not really sure how to go about writing this, but I've put it off long enough and just want it up already" posts.

:/

Mimus said...

I know the feeling. xD'
Sometimes a narrative just won't budge, no matter what.

Poor Thetis and Florian, though. :/
If it gets even Florian to behave subdued...

Van said...

Yeah, some narratives are so stubborn. :S

If even Florian can't think of any antics to pull off, then something is seriously wrong. Poor family. To Florian and Thetis, this is well beyond Severin's brief disappearance of some years back now, timewise and severity-wise. Plus, I don't think they (or Florian, at least) worried quite as much about Severin. Severin is tough and cynical and can take care of himself. Teodrin, so far as they know, is much more vulnerable.