Girls Wanna Have Fun

Writers: Chelle, Eimi
Date Posted: 7th May 2010

Characters: Parale, Apeline
Description: Parale talks love and marriage with an old friend
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 9, day 4 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: Alrog, Ioven, Briata, Ishek

"Take your brothers and sisters outside, Purline, they're going
to wake the baby," Apeline frowned, already hearing tiny Gillap
stirring. "Go on, now, out into the sunshine with you all. Mind your
sister."

She sighed as she watched her eldest daughter herd the brood out the
door. Turning back to her friend she had to laugh. "Six, Parale.
_Six_. What were we thinking bringing another into our home?" Apeline
looked down at her newest addition with eyes full of love. Though it
was easy to complain about the number of children running around her
home day and night, she was as happy as a first time mother.

Watching the youngsters as they froliced, she looked back at the baby.
"You probably weren't thinking at the time, if I know anything about
that." Grinning, she made a slightly lewd gesture with her thumb and
index finger.

"Parale, you are shocking sometimes," Apeline giggled, smoothing back
her son's hair. "I swear, if I hadn't known you since Harper Classes, I
wouldn't know what to think of you. But yes, you're right," her friend
sighed, giving her a mischievous look. "Sometimes we just can't help
ourselves. Even after fifteen turns of marriage."

"Perhaps someday I'll manage," she sighed lustfully, thinking about a
certain smith in his underwear. "Even Alrog found himself a young wife."
She shook her head as she sipped her water.

"Oh, there's time for you yet," her friend said, reaching out to pat her
hand reassuringly. "Any man would be lucky to have you!"

"Oh aye certainly," she nodded, glad for Apeline's support. "Just wish
*they* knew that." She finished her water and set the glass aside. "How
did you manage to get Orlo anyway?"

"It was easy. One night, while he was still just a senior apprentice,
we secretly met on the path to the Mining Hall, ducked behind a large
bolder, and I let him stick his hand up my tunic. He was hooked," she
said with an innocent shrug. "He's been sticking his hand up my tunic
ever since."

Parale giggled. "I can see that." Then she frowned, knowing things
couldn't be that simple, now that she was older. "I wonder... You know
the smith..the one I've been taking care of the girls for?"

"You've told me of him, yes." Could Parale have designs on him? "You
want him to stick his hand up your tunic?"

"Too bad I have to be respectable yet. Once I pass fertile turns, I
don't have to." Musing on that further, she was quiet for a bit. "He's
nice to look at. He's young. He's got a craft. I just...he won't stay."

"It's a pity," her friend agreed with an understanding nod. "Has he
noticed you at all?"

"I don't know. We talk sometimes but not very often." Frowning, the
conversation from a sevenday ago or so came back to her mind. "He
probably thinks me an idiot. Some hidebound holder that doesn't know
her arse from her head."

Her friend rose to her defense. "Then he would be a fool. No one has
_ever_ confused you for a dimglow."

Parale patted Apeline's hand in thanks. "He loves those girls though."
He was a good father. "Shall I be sweeter than cream or should I maybe
just start to flash a bit of thigh?" Of course, if he wasn't going to
stay at Garnet Valley, why should she bother? Her mind remembered
something. Something he had said...that the smith hall felt like coming
home. Maybe...

"If it's his hand up your tunic you want, I'd go with the thigh," her
friend said with a soft smile. She felt it her duty, as an old friend,
to warn her friend. "But he doesn't belong here, Parale."

"Hmm why not? He's a smith. This is the smith hall." Not liking the
sound of whatever Apeline was about to say, Parale refilled her water.

"Because you said yourself he's here on Hold business. They're not just
going to let a Smith go who is contracted to them. And he has children,
and a life back at that Hold. Parale," Apeline put her hand on her
friend's shoulder to gently command her full attention. "Dally with
this man if you like, but don't put all your hopes on him. We're not
young anymore. We know the chances of romantic fantasies like these
coming true are as likely as a lightning strike."

"Well of course. Doesn't keep me from dreaming them. I just never act."
She sounded a bit angry, though if it was at Apeline's reminder or
herself, it was hard to tell.

Apeline's hand slipped down to rub her friend's back soothingly. "The
best you could hope for would be to follow him to his Hold. And you
wouldn't want to leave your home, would you?"

"I don't know anything else. And Mother's here." Her mind started to
work, though. Apeline didn't know about Briata. If Ishek ever did find
out.. Well Parale didn't want to consider that. He could throw her out
if he wished it.

"It's not as if you have no other options. There are plenty of men
around here in want of a wife." And if not at Garnet Valley, at the
neighboring Halls. "You might have to... be less picky, and a bit less
reserved. But they're real, and they'll stay."

"Oh believe me, I have been less picky, but they all seem interested in
a pretty young thing. Apparently I'm all dried up." She threw up her
hands and sighed lustily.

"No," Apeline said with a shake of her head, though in her heart she
knew that her friend would be dried up soon enough. "Perhaps I can ask
Orlo if he knows anyone suitable."

"Aye sure, but they best have some means of supporting me." She didn't
want to starve so the bovines could eat.

"Oh, of course!" her friend said, sounding almost shocked her friend
would think otherwise! "Orlo knows everyone - crafters, holders... He
could find someone who would be interested in meeting you!"

Last updated on the May 18th 2010

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Girls Wanna Have Fun