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

[ostro_goth]

"It is the first of July now," Teja says. "They were born in the morning of the first of November. So they are eight months."

[guppy_sandhu]

"They grow so fast." Guppy says, smiling gently. "Fran joked the other day that we should start thinking of having another one."

[ostro_goth]

"I am sure Wachis and Liuta will have many others," Teja says.

Pause.

Hilde is well and truly out of earshot. "Adalgoth and Gotho, on the other hand..."

[guppy_sandhu]

"They're being careful, right?" Guppy asks.

[ostro_goth]

"So far, Adalgoth still swears he would not touch her ever again, as her life is far more important to him than more children," Teja says, grim.

[guppy_sandhu]

"Just give him a bunch of condoms, we've got about two hundred still in the infirmary." Guppy says, getting up and going back to Fry.

"You were put on the naughty spot for swearing. Say sorry and you can come off."

"But I'm not." Fry says, with an anguished look.

[ostro_goth]

Teja says 'Thanks,' but then, belatedly, he blushes a dreadful, utter crimson.

[guppy_sandhu]

"Swearing makes people sad, you don't want that do you?" Guppy asks.

"No." Fry says.

"So you're sorry for making people sad?"

"Yes. Sorry."

"Good boy, you can come off the spot now."

Fry runs back to the paddling pool and jumps in, sending a big wave over Teja.

[gotland_npc]

"You made the King wet, you miserable little southron!" Hilde exclaims, horrified.

"I am not king of anything here, Hilde," Teja says. "And I will dry again; the sun is warm here. And you must not call any names, based on where they are from. Even if your father does it. There is no north and south, east and west in this place!"

[guppy_sandhu]

Fry stands up and squares up to Hilde, even though she's a lot bigger than him.

"What's that mean?!" he demands.

[gotland_npc]

"I means you're awful," Hilde says, "and little, and from the south!"

"Hilde!" Teja says. "Please, do not start a quarrel with Fry. You are their guest, allowed in only on account of your injured leg. If you offend any for what they are, I must take you back to Gotland without cake."

[guppy_sandhu]

Fry looks at her for a moment, then shoves her away and gets out of the paddling pool.

"Fry..." Guppy senses he's about to make a break for it, and he's right. Fry's already looking around for a small space to hide in, and in absence of one, grabs the picnic blanket...

Most of the food gets tipped off as he pulls it over himself, before Guppy can stop him. He goes under the blanket and can be seen curled into a little rocking ball.

Guppy tries to rescue the food, knowing that if he interrupts Fry it's just going to prolong the meltdown.

[gotland_npc]

Hilde stares at him in astonishment, and then looks a Teja with vague dread.

Then, suddenly, she starts to cry, and runs up to him to hide behind his tyrian purple cloak.

"Guppy," Teja says, quietly, "would Fry accept an apology, or must this just run its course?"

[guppy_sandhu]

"He will, but he needs to calm down so give him a minute." Guppy says.

He moves around and crouches next to Hilde.

"Hilde, there are lots of different people in the world. Fry didn't mean to be rude to Teja, and when he's upset he likes to hide in a tiny space."

Coral climbs out the paddling pool and crawls over to the rocking blanket, peeping underneath, thinking this is a game.

[gotland_npc]

Hilde peers out from behind Teja's cloak, eyes puffy and mouth pouting.

"The King says so, too," she declares. "But he splashed him all over! And he is, too, small and from the south."

"Which is," Teja says, "merely relative, as you are from the far north. Guppy and his children are from Britannia, not even that much further south. And no matter what your father may say at times -- the south is not a worse place than the north! Some things are much better, even."

[guppy_sandhu]

"I think he was objecting to you calling him awful." Guppy says. "Fry takes things very seriously, and he remembers bad things said to him and repeats them over and over. It's hard for him to forget them."

[gotland_npc]

"I'm sorry, then," Hilde says. "I didn't want to hurt him for real. I was just angry he splashed the King! At home, kids call each other lots worse things and there's no trouble at all. If they get too wild, a grown-up will scold, and we all shut up."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Thank you." Guppy says. "Please tell him that too."

"I'm in here." Fry says from under his blanket, shoving Coral out gently.

"Fry, are you going to come out so Hilda can say sorry?" Guppy asks.

Fry hesitates, then a little nose and two eyes peep cautiously out from under the blanket.

[gotland_npc]

Hilde crouches down to look at the nose and eyes.

"I'm sorry," she says again. "I didn't want to hurt you for real. Really not! Kids say much worse things at home."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Okay." Fry says, breaking the eye contact and coming out from under the blanket. He moves to stand next to the paddling pool and spins around.

"Let's see if any of this food is still okay." Guppy says, scooping Coral up and sitting her on his knee. "Want some cake Col?"

He gets a cupcake and offers it to her. She takes it and starts picking bits out with her fingers.

[gotland_npc]

Hilde discreetly watches the food, as she knows it's very impolite to ask for something.

The host will offer you.

[guppy_sandhu]

"Do you want some cake Hilde?" Guppy asks, offering her a cupcake.

[gotland_npc]

"Yes, thank you very much!" Hilde says politely, and takes it.