#brightwindsbarony

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For Irene, her super busy mom seems just a little less busy. Which is great, and also a bit worrisome. She's gotten nosey "What do you and Grete annd Ashlee DO all the time?"

"When you're not at school?"

"Play?"

"We have a fort."

"We let Stu and Ryder play too, even if they're boys." Magnanimous.

She laughs at that, "Yes, sometimes boys turn out to be not so bad" Then a look "But do you have any supervision? Any adults? "

"Welll, Miss Julia - Grete's aunt - is usually nearby, or Ashlee's guardian Thorin."

"Oh.. yes" A nod

Huff. "Miss Julia thinks it's dangerous for us to be at the fort without any adults nearby."

"I think I agree with Miss Julia" a guilty look on her mom's face, "I realize she's got all the money in the world but I'm not sure it's fair to treat her like a baby sitting service"

"Well, she doesn't seem to mind. I mean, she watches Grete and Ashlee anyways, right?"

"Well," her mom kneels down, a bit to look her daughter in the eyes "I just sometimes worry I could be a better mother. It's better than using video games as your nanny, I can see you're happier, but still. I wish I had more.." her phone gets a text and she winces

"Wish I had more time to be a better mother" she adds

Irene gives her mom a hug. "You're a great mom. My favorite."

"Well, my ego is soothed" Her mother answers with a smile, "You go have fun riding unicorns or whatever is you do at that fort. I've got the easy to make dinner in the fridge, you know which tray. I will try to be back on time but if I'm not I'll call."

"We're surfing on land-sharks! I've got my phone!"

"Land sharks? Okay.. that's a new one" She seems impressed, and off she goes

Irene's mom had a wonderful time at Carnival, and Miss Julia's help has been a boon, but her mom has some silly ideas in her head still. Like she needs to be there to fuss over Irene yet also pay for everything, yet also keep house and make sure there is food, and ALSO this or that. Grumps, even mortal grumps, are a profoundly odd lot.

Felicity walks up with her own Unicorn Rider back pack, "There goes your mom"

"Yup, she's working. Did you bring your ponies?"

"I totally did." She beams "I was SO worried, I thouht I lost Ebony moon, and she's my favorite, you know?"

"Oh, that makes sense. She's the best magician." A sigh, for the dearly departed Rose Sparkle.

"She is..." A look "is your mother okay? She looked kind of mike Matron Bluesong? When she was all sad about something"

Irene snags her backpack (crammed full of other plastic ponies, alongside paperclips and jawbreakers and cool rocks and trading cards and....) "So, okay, last we left, Queen Emyria had issued a dictate that ALL the ponies had to work in the mines..."

She bites on her lip.

"Mom worries. But she's a really good mom! I know she has to work hard so we can have stuff."

"Well, if you want MY opinion" Which Irene has learned is how some sidhe tell you you're about to get their opinion if you like it or not, "Your mother needs a suitor, a paramour to cater to her properly." She pulls out Ebony Moon and Dazzleback too, "Ebony Moon can go invisbile in shadows and dark... bet she could in the mines"

"Maybe she could start a resistance? Rose... well, Fern Leaf could help!" A little green pony with purple hair! "Mom doesn't want a suitor, I don't think. We're a team, the two of us."

"She doesnn't?" A surprised look from Felicity "Huh. Well, you two ARE a great team, but what about you? Don't you want a good dad?" and just as easy she switches "Oh Fern Leaf's really good with plants. Maybe there are roots in the mines?"

"I've never had a dad. Don't need one." The piskie swoops the little pony through the air, like the toy has taken flight. "Yeah, Fern Leaf has plant magic."

"But if you have two parents, you have DOUBLE the Christmas presennts" She points out, Ebony Moon joining Fernn Leaf "Hey, Maybe Ebony Moon can use her powers to plant some seeds in the mines, then Fern Leaf can really work! Their maggics combined!"

"Oh, smart!"

"Well, you only have one parent - do you want a mom?"

Felicty beams at the praise, then says "I don't really have a parent , just a knight. Sometimes I think.. I think they'd be nice" WIstful

"Oh, bet it's hard for sidhe. Lady Sparrow's faerie parents are younger than her, she said!"

"most of us don't know who are Arcadian parents are" She does look thoughtful "Sometimes I wonder, it's hard not wonderinng you know? But I was kidnapped in the old way. Had to be. It wasn't safe. I would have winked out. So.. I got taken, sained, and then I got handed to Sir Morthwyl. I guess he's not TERRIBLE" she admits

She nods. "I like him. His hammer is pretty cool. He's almost troll sized!"

"YUP. Gwydions are warrriors mosly.. and rulers. I still think magic's better"

"I like magic. I can do lots!" Now Fern is floating on her own!

A grin "Cool!" She taps Ebony Moon and makes her hop

"Anyway, I still think your mom deserves a suitor. I hear they're TERRIBLY Convenient if you train them well"

"I dunno. I don't want one of the baseball cap guys."

"Uggh.. yeah" She agrees, "Your mom would need someone classy... and nice" She has Ebony moon dive under a blanket

"Oh yeah. She deserves somebody nice."

"And somebody who sees how special she is. And won't yell."

"If some jerk yells at your mother, I will hex him" She offers as a friend should

Smile!