ma mère

[beheld_beauty]

Jane's out again.

But at least this time Rose fetched Renée up from Downside first. Renée's been reacquainting herself with life; Charlie has been catching her up. Belle was a small child when her mother died, and her mother has spoken with her a little, but mostly wants to catch up on the past decades from Charlie, who is more or less as she left him.

Today Renée is ready, she says, to meet her son-in-law and grandchildren.

They walk, because why not. Céleste is obliged to leave Rainier at home; creatures more mythical than grandchildren are not for today's revelations for Renée. Renée is living with Charlie, of course, in his cottage that he has allowed Belle to renovate but not expand.

Belle knocks on the door. Charlie opens it, and holds out his arms to solicit hugs from granddaughters. Céleste provides gladly.

Comments

[campanas]

"Yes, you can be alive forever now," says Céleste.

"So I'm told," laughs Renée. "Which is nice. There are a lot of places and things I hadn't seen yet."

[beheld_beauty]

"I can take you anywhere you'd like to go. Kemet is nice; my student Luc manages enchanting there. And of course Yseult is old enough to go places without me or her papa, now."

[mindfields]

"I am! There are some beautiful places in the world," says Yseult. (She decides not to mention that she has considered visiting the moon. This isn't the time.)

[campanas]

"Last year we all went to visit the Hauda- the Haudenosaunee," says Céleste. "They live very far away. Maman helped them like she helps everyone."

"I have never heard of them before," remarks Renée.

"They live very far away."

[deslandes]

"Very, very far," Beast agrees. "But I like the place they live. It's lovely."

[beheld_beauty]

"What did you do there, Belle?" asks Renée.

"I acquired their language and spoke with them and then laid enchantments on some of their villages and crops, and made several of them immortal, although not all. They may want to send me a student if they can find someone with the inclination."

[mindfields]

"I think it would be nice if you had another student," says Yseult. "If it was a good student."

[campanas]

"It has to be a good student. Luc is good," says Céleste. "Students have to learn the long way around instead of magicking knowing things because Maman has to know they can be trusted."

[mindfields]

"Yes," says Yseult. "It would be no good to anyone if they were a bad student and you had to send them back."

[beheld_beauty]

"I suppose," says Renée. "Since you have so very much magic."

"And with Jane broken again, I am even more limited in my ability to recover from particularly malicious choices another enchanter could make," says Belle. "So, the long way. Luc was a lucky find, and of course I have known Yseult her whole life and therefore she did not have to learn the long way, although the books nonetheless seem to interest her."

[mindfields]

"I like them," she says. "They are very interesting."

[campanas]

"I don't very much," says Céleste. "They are technical and long."

[beheld_beauty]

"You may like them more when you are older," says Belle.

[mindfields]

"It's very possible," says Yseult. "A few years ago I did not like them as much."

[campanas]

"They are dull," says Céleste firmly. "And badly written. I like stories better."

[mindfields]

"Well, then perhaps you will not like them when you grow up."

[campanas]

"Perhaps I will not," agrees Céleste airily.

[beheld_beauty]

Renée smiles at her grandchildren.

Belle reaches over the table to pat her mother's hand.

[mindfields]

Yseult smiles back.

[beheld_beauty]

"There is such an age gap between the two of you," muses Renée. "And you seem to get along very well anyway. Belle, are you thinking of having more?"

"We haven't discussed it," says Belle leaning her head on her husband's shoulder.

[deslandes]

"I think it is a fine idea," says Beast, kissing the top of his wife's head.

[mindfields]

"Another little sister? I would like that," says Yseult.

[campanas]

"Sister sister sister!"

[beheld_beauty]

"What makes you so sure it would be a sister?" asks Renée. "Magic of some kind?"

"We cannot in fact be sure, unless, I suppose, we want to use magic of some kind," chuckles Belle.

[mindfields]

"I would like a sister," says Yseult. "I wouldn't mind a brother, but I'm not sure I'd know what to do with him." She smiles at Céleste. "I have experience with sisters already."