Coral's first birthday party

[guppy_sandhu]

Outside in a quiet corner of the garden, well away from the lake, a birthday party has been set up.

There's a paddling pool with some toys in, a picnic spread out on a cloth, and a sign saying 'Happy Birthday Coral'.

Comments

Re: Paddling pool

[ostro_goth]

Teja had seen the invitation, but never meant to come.

What would he do at such a party?

However, on the day, he went to Gotland to see his friends, and to bring Wachis some materials samples he had promised him, to find the women worried as the day before, little Hilde had gashed her leg on a rusty nail, and despite washing it with mead and doing all they could, they were worried it might fester, not heal.

So Teja took her up the barrow-hill to try whether Milliways would let him in with her in his arms, for Guppy to see to it. And indeed, the door let him through, as it had done with the babies. Not finding Guppy in the infirmary, he hurries through to the back with the child on his shoulder, to interrupt the children's feast for that emergency.

Small, for Guppy; but so worrisome for his people as to make it worth the disturbance.

Re: Paddling pool

[guppy_sandhu]

"Hi Teja." Guppy waves. "Who's this?"

Re: Paddling pool

[ostro_goth]

"Hilde," Teja says. "She gashed he leg upon a rusty nail, and her parents are worried."

Pause.

"One of the children of my friends Wachis and Liuta, in Gotland," he adds, realising that this may not be obvious.

"It hurts, and my mum and Gotho won't stop fussing!" Hilde adds.

Enviously, she eyes the party. She doesn't know what the colourful things mean or what the apparent food is, but it all looks so interesting!

Re: Paddling pool

[guppy_sandhu]

"Not to worry, we can fix that up." Guppy says. "Coral, Fry, you'll have to come out of the paddling pool for a minute."

"Why?" Fry asks.

"Because I have to watch that you don't fall over." Guppy says, lifting Coral out.

[ostro_goth]

"You have a pool with bouncy walls!" little Hilde says, amazed.

She almost wiggles to get off Teja to hop in and start wading around there and then, but remembers her good manners just in time. This is The King, and he has taken her to the place where he resides after death to have her healed from what her mother and Gotho think may turn out dire.

She should feel more awestruck, probably.

But she doesn't! The King's afterlife is full of kids and sunshine and colourful fun things!

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy leaves his two in the safe care of Shufti for a few minutes, and heads inside with Teja and Hilde.

"You can come and join the party when we're done, if you like."

[ostro_goth]

"Really?" Hilde says. "If the King lets me and doesn't have to take me back at once?"

She looks very hopeful, turning her head to smile at Teja.

"Yes, you may," he says, suppressing a chuckle.

[guppy_sandhu]

"I don't think this will take long." Guppy says, leading them into the infirmary. "Pop her on the bed and I'll have a look."

[ostro_goth]

Teja puts he on the bed, and stand back. "Guppy will not hurt you," he promises. "He knows how to treat small children; he is a very experienced healer."

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy has a look at the scratch.

"I can clean that up and fix it." he says. "And you'll need a tetanus shot, but I can give that through a special skin spray so it won't hurt."

[ostro_goth]

"Shot?" Hilde says, alarmed. "With a bow and arrows?"

[guppy_sandhu]

"No, just like a puff of air." Guppy blows.

[ostro_goth]

"What is that tit thing?" Hilde asks.

[guppy_sandhu]

"... tit thing?"

[ostro_goth]

"Tit an' urs shot!" Hilde says. "What's an urs?"

Teja sniggers involuntarily.

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy goes slightly red.

"Tetanus." he says. "It's a disease."

He cleans up the little wound, wiggles the skin fuser over it, and then gives her the puff of air into her arm.

"All done."

[ostro_goth]

Teja laughs at the cheerful whoop Hilde gives as she jumps off the bed.

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy puts the things away and heads with them back out to the party.

"Poooool!" Fry yells, leaping straight back in with a big splash, showering his sister and Shufti.

[ostro_goth]

"Hilde, be..." Teja says, but Hilde has already hiked up her dress and jumps into the pool with both feet at once.

[guppy_sandhu]

Coral, who has just been splashed in the face by an EVEN BIGGER WAVE, starts to cry. Guppy picks her up and gives her a soggy cuddle.

"Hey!" Fry says, glaring at Hilde and pointing at his sister. "You made it make the bad noise!"

"Fry, don't call your sister 'it' please." Guppy says. "Say 'her'."

[ostro_goth]

"That's a baby," Hilde says, holding her dress up so the hem is at knee-height. "We have two at home, too. They're cute now they don't scream so much."

[guppy_sandhu]

Fry doesn't get cute. Nobody has yet managed to explain the concept to him.

"You made her cry, say sorry." he says.

This is Important. (Because crying hurts his ears).

[ostro_goth]

"I'm sorry, little baby," Hilde says to Coral, very earnestly. "You're a very sweet baby! Now stop crying."

[guppy_sandhu]

Coral quietens down. Guppy pops her back in the paddling pool and she sploshes around contentedly.

"Who are you?" Fry asks, watching her.

[a1enzo]

"Careful!" exclaims a tall, green youth, averting his face from the splashing.