Forcing a Smile

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 20th April 2009

Characters: Cinale, Daigoro, Menera, Jermace
Description: Cinale tries to put on a brave face for Daigoro and his friends
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 2, day 1 of Turn 5

Cinale

"No, come in, come in," Daigoro assured the couple. "I told Cinale to
expect us!"

"Are you sure? I certainly don't want to put you out," the journeyman
said though he passed over the threshold without hesitation, followed by
a woman half his age.

"I'm sure. I couldn't have you both come all this way and you not meet
my wife, Jermace. That just wouldn't do. Cinale!" Daigoro smiled to
the
young woman as he closed the door behind her.

"I would have thought they would have found more suitable accomidations
for a Hall_second_," the journeyman said with an amused grin.

"Cinale and I wanted our own home away from the Hall. I chose this cot
myself. It's perfect for our needs. Ah, Cinale," he beckoned his wife
closer. "This is my good friend Jermace and his wife Menera. Oh, and
their little son, Acer."

"Cinale, finally, Daigoro has told me so much about you," the journeyman
grinned, taking both her hands in his. "And you are as beautiful as he
claims you to be."

Cinale grinned back, and spared her husband an amused glance. "My dear,
you didn't tell me that your friend was quite the charmer. You should
have warned me!"

"I knew he was a charmer, but I didn't know he was so good at it," the
Hallsecond said, narrowing his eyes at his friend in mock jealousy.
That's quite enough of that now," he said, stepping between them and
wrapping a possessive arm around his wife. "What a terrible man, trying
to steal away _my_ woman when you have a perfectly lovely creature in
your own young bride."

"She's tolerable, I suppose," Jermace said, though his eyes when he
looked down at his wife held nothing but loving pride.

Menera adjusted the sleeping child in her arms as she returned his look,
though she scruntched her nose up at him. "Trust me, the charm wears
thin at times."

Cinale laughed along with the rest of them, but it was just a bit forced
as her eyes came to linger wistfully on the resting child. "It's good
to finally meet you, Menera. Your baby is so beautiful."

"Thank you," the young mother beamed. "I had thought it might be a
little too soon for such a long trip, but Jermace just couldn't wait to
show
him off to his parents." She folded the blanket back a bit to give
Cinale a
better look at his face. "He has his father's hair, doesn't he."

"He sure does! Look at you," she crooned when he blinked sleepily up at
her. "What a beautiful boy you are. Indeed, you are!"

Daigoro grinned down at the chubby little face. He gave his friend a
teasing slap on the shoulder. "Let's just hope the rest of him takes
after his mother."

"Oh, not to worry. My mother already says he looks exactly like my
father," Menera smiled, smoothing back his light colored hair.

"Yes, especially around the middle," the journeyman said patting his
stomach.

"Be nice," his wife said with a mockingly stern look. "Cinale would you
like to hold him?"

She blinked, heart aching. "Hold him?"

"You better take the chance while she's offering," the journeyman
chuckled. "She rarely even let's _me_ hold him."

"Then how could I say no?" A slight tremor ran down her spine as Menera
placed Acer carefully in her arms. Cinale cradled him against her
chest, gazing down into his sweet little face. Faranth, a few months
from now,
this could have been her baby, her pride, her joy she was holding
against her. The ache in her heart intensified and she looked up at
Daigoro.

Her husband's eyes held no sadness as he looked at her. He was thinking
more of the future than of the past. "Now, what a lovely picture that
makes."

She smiled, but dropped her eyes before they would be able to read the
pain in them. Daigoro hadn't understood. "Menera, you and your husband
should be very proud."

"Oh we are," Menera grinned, wrapping an arm around her husband's waist.
She felt a great deal of maternal pride in all the attention being paid
to her little treasure.

Daigoro reached out to touch his soft, downy head. "He is beautiful.
He'll probably grow up to be a brewer, just like his papa."

Cinale watched his thick fingers stroking soothingly, and she couldn't
help but feel that spark of bitter jealousy ignite within her directed
at the young woman standing so close. Why did every woman Cinale came
into
contact with these days have the one gift she and Daigoro deserved? Why
couldn't they be blessed too? As if sensing her inner turmoil, Acer
began to squirm. "Oops...I think he's getting just a bit fussy...."

"Oh, he's probably getting hungry," Menera said, reaching out to take
him back.

"Must be smelling all that delicious food," the journeyman said,
breathing deeply of the smell.

"I don't want to make you wait," his wife smiled apologetically.
"Please start without me. Do you have somewhere I can feed him?"

"There's a rocking chair up in the spare bedroom," Daigoro said,
indicating that she should lead the way. He leaned down to give Cinale
a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't let Jermace charm you too much while
I'm gone."

Ridiculous, that the mention of the rocking chair--the chair that she
was supposed to sit in a few months from now with her own child in her
arms--should bring a small lump to the back of Cinale's throat, but
then, her emotions were all out of whack tonight. How could she
possibly be
jealous of such a sweet woman as Menera? It was an ugly, evil emotion
and Menera and her husband didn't deserve that from her. Stubbornly
shoving
her sadness and distress to the very back of her mind, she forced a warm
smile for Jermace, gesturing for him to follow her. "Come sit down at
the table. Daigoro will be along shortly."

Last updated on the May 10th 2009

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Forcing a Smile