Their other choice, Karasayen, was a challenging prospect for a slightly different reason. She was a first child of a powerful house, one which has numerous survivors, and though she’s by no means a nasty kid, she is one very much used to being deferred to, to having her opinion taken into account, and to assuming command. I remember very well meeting her that first day of talent school, and really wishing she wasn’t commenting graciously on my kindness in taking on Sen’s servants. A real A-type personality, she was also one of the main opponents of interface installation within the school, at least until Rye’s attitude changed her mind, and then she strongly influenced people in the opposite direction. She’s smart, and strong, and rather fixated on the idea of being a Setari.
And she also hasn’t been adopted. Alay told me that at the end of the school day when all the adopted children are collected or head off home Kara very clearly demonstrates how little not being collected bothers her. Indifference underlined and oh, so painful. The fewer unadopted kids remain, the more the fact begins to sting, and there are very few unadopted kids at the talent school now – mainly older ones who are nearly adults. Karasayen and Lianzrenar are both thirteen, and I suspect Maze and Alay will be good for them in a lot of ways.
I am always very careful to keep an eye on any Nurans who come to Arcadia, to make sure that Ys and Rye don’t feel that their territory is being invaded, and to ensure that no-one even momentarily considers looking down on them. I’m not very fierce about many things, but no matter what cultural expectations anyone might have, or how traumatised they’ve been, I won’t tolerate people treating my kids as some kind of underclass.
No dramas, though. Rye (who is just the sweetest kid) decided to take Lianz under his wing, and Lianz revealed an interest in Rye’s gardens (possibly why Maze was so taken with him). They weren’t exactly comfortable with each other, but by the end of the party Lianz didn’t seem quite so stressed. Kara was a bit like Shar had been – and spent a fair amount of time talking to him – staying in visiting dignitary mode except when startled. She does seem to be quite close to Alay, though, and went rather pink during a private conversation, and looked at least briefly happy. Sen didn’t act overly concerned by her – no hugs, but no flinching – so I decided to relax.
Sen’s nightmares have cooled down a bit, and her main preoccupation at the moment is being a witch. I’ve subtitled a few Miyasakis for the kids, and Ys repeatedly watches Spirited Away, while Sen is devoted to Kiki’s Delivery Service, has decided she’s a witch, insists on being called Kiki, and keeps trying to ride about on a broom she had Ys make for her. With requisite cat stuffed in a basket and tied on the end. Tick-tock and Mip won’t go near her any more, and she likes nothing more than getting anyone with Levitation or Telekinesis to fly her about on her broom delivering things from one end of the house to the other. It’s hugely funny, and makes me miss Ghost rather. Ghost probably would have ridden about on the broom.
Twelfth and Third have only been here a few days, and I asked Maze directly to assign Zan plenty of bodyguard duty so I could see more of her. It’s also a good idea because it cuts down the way KOTIS Command likes to overwork strong Telekinesis talents. I had a heap of fun showing her around the island when she and Kiste arrived for their first turn preventing me from Doing Evil.
I’ve spent a solid chunk of time carefully watching Zan for any hint of how she was feeling, but as usual Zan was not giving any of her inner life away. Kiste was cheerful, and the rest of Twelfth seem to be in a good place. I really like how they’ve changed toward Zan, how the squad atmosphere is positive and comfortable. And Sen showed no inclination to bring Zan cushions, which was good to see.
I almost sound disappointed that she’s not miserable. Must stop myself from fumbling attempts to set her up with someone.
I’ve seen less of Third in the short time they’ve been here, but I think they’re okay. There’s a streak of sadness, and of course without Eeli the dynamic of the squad has changed significantly. I think both squads enjoyed Rye’s party a lot.
13 - December
December 25
Merry Christmas
I got to do a projection of my family this morning, and catch up on what’s happening back home. Thankfully some behind-the-scenes manoeuvring has made the Crummies' Inquiry less invasive now that it’s coming to its end, so the question of bringing my family here hasn’t been publically debated, and a special (and very closed-mouthed) committee can approve my projections without any suggestion that everyone on three planets needs to know what I’ve been doing. The Inquiry’s recommendations won’t be made public for a while, and then the laws will be formalised.
Jules is getting so tall – it’s really disconcerting. He makes me feel like I’m a stranger. I’ve been gone more than two years now, and I’m very different inside my head, and home has become the place I used to live. Kaoren knows enough English now to catch a little bit of my conversation with my Mum, but not to have more than a disjointed idea what we talked about. If the gate aligns according to schedule, I’ll be able to send a letter to Mum in February trying to arrange Operation Move-to-Muina, and I wanted to discuss with fake-Mum things I should tell real-Mum about in the letter. Whether it needed to be a complete secret, how extensive the Move-to-Muina invitation was, whether it was possible for anyone to just visit. Whether it was okay to bring our cat.
Then Mum floored me by telling me Dad had gotten married! And I’m going to have a new brother or sister in a few months. I am so not dealing with that. I have a step-mother named Sharon. Mum didn’t properly answer when I asked what she’s like, but, argh, I guess it means Dad’s happy, which is a good thing. I suppose I might meet her in a year and bit.
Kaoren and I have been starting to put together proper ideas for our wedding. Neither of us are particularly traditional, or devoted to a particular image of what the wedding should be like. I want to wear something resembling one of the less over-the-top Earth wedding dresses, and Kaoren is going to wear formal robes in colours complementing the girls' dresses. He’s very against me being blindfolded and picking him out from a bunch of other guys, but does want to do the exchange of patterned cakes. We both very strongly want to make our wedding day adoption day as well, though we haven’t discussed this with the kids yet. Basically, we want to have an additional stage of the ceremony where we’ll formally adopt them. And, after much pressure from Sen, we’re going to see about producing one of these babies she’s so keen on.
The idea having a baby myself is pretty scary. Alay let me feel her daughter kicking, and I had to restrain myself from making Chestburster comments, because it just weirded me out having something which wasn’t Alay moving beneath her skin. Very normal and all that, I know, but just…weird. Kaoren told me on his birthday that he’s a little nervous about having babies too, but more because even with all Tare’s technology, it’s still one of the most dangerous things women do.