For the Whored Ch. 091

She opened her eyes to the darkness. She knew that sound. That sound was as familiar to her as her own breath. She looked down at Tulani, peacefully dreaming. She frowned and climbed out of bed. Making her way into the hallway, she frowned down at the living room. Bradly was standing in the center of the room, clutching his blanket, whimpering.

She made her way downstairs. "Sweetie? What's wrong?"

"You... you were gone... you couldn't save me."

"Oh, sweetie, come here." Elunara wrapped her arms around him. "It's ok, I'm here." She pulled him onto the couch with her.

He climbed up into her lap and laid his head on her shoulder. She grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around them. "I don't want to go back."

"I'm here, baby. Don't you worry, I'm here." She wrapped her arms around him. "You are mine; now and forever."

Elunara groaned and shook her head. Her neck was killing her. Blinking groggily, she opened her eyes and found everyone staring at her. "What?"

"We're sorry." Tulani grinned. "But you were just so adorable; we didn't want to wake you up."

She looked down at Bradly curled up in her lap, still asleep. "Oh."

Darguni ran out in a panic. "Momma I can't find..." He giggled. "Oh."

Bradly rubbed his eyed. "Momma?"

"Yeah, yeah get off me. I have stuff to do."

"Sorry, Momma." Bradly said sheepishly, as he slid off her lap.

She put her fingers under his chin. "Never apologize for a nightmare. Now, get dressed and go do whatever it is kids should be doing."

"COME ON! Come on, go, Lydia, GO! PUSH it! You're going for strength and endurance this round, go, press it; attack the ground like you goddamned MEAN it! That's the way! That's my girl! Go! Don't lag it; don't let it get to you, endurance! Yeah, that's the way, don't lose form! You're rounding the final lap! GO, I WANT SPEED, GIVE IT TO ME! And.... STOP!" Elunara clapped her hands. "New course record, by about ten seconds.

Lydia bent over, gasping for air.

Elunara put the water in her hand. "Remember to drink slow, but drink it." Elunara rubbed her back. "That's my girl. Now, walk it out."

Lydia nodded and chugged the first bit, then started sipping. "I did good?"

"Very good." Elunara brushed her hair out of her face. "Once you've walked out the tension, you can sit and we'll work on your legs.

"Ok."

Elunara walked back to the side edge, where Linda was standing with a group of people.

She had her hands over her mouth and tears were streaming down her face. "Oh, my baby runs so well."

Elunara pointed at her. "If you cry on me again, I WILL hit you. Don't think I won't."

"I'm sorry. I just thought I'd never see the day." She wiped her eyes on a handkerchief. She gestured back. "These are my friends, some of the other parents. They've been hearing about your training on the yard, but haven't come out so far to watch."

"That's nice." She turned away. "LYDIA!"

Lydia jogged over and sat in the chair.

Elunara sat down in front of the girl and began working and massaging the muscles of her leg.

"Mom! Did you see? Did you see what I did?"

"Yes I did, baby."

"I'm not a baby." Lydia pouted.

Elunara raised an eyebrow. "I'm not either, but that's what Jordan calls me because he loves me."

Lydia flushed. "Oh. Oh, I'm sorry Momma, I didn't mean it." She looked up.

"Legs better?"

She flexed her feet. "Oh, much better Miss Elunara."

Elunara patted her legs. "Then go rest up before everyone gets here and we start training again."

Lydia slid out of the chair and jogged to the platform.

Linda stared. "You did that so subtly, so casually, that she hardly realized you just snapped her head off." Linda put a hand to her chest. "Yet, I feel so grateful for it."

"I am finding that kids do best when they think you think they're adults. You don't have to actually do so." She laughed. "Pluuus, I have this sneaking feeling that she has a small crush on Jordan." Elunara stood up and looked around. "This chair was put here to help Lydia when she got tired. Now, she doesn't really use it, except when I massage her legs."

"You're always so ridiculously kind; I just don't know what to do with myself." Linda sniffled.

"Now there's something I don't hear that often." Elunara laughed. "The most common phrase heard around me is "mean as a snake"."

"That's all I've heard." Mumbled one of the other parents.

"I'm actually quite proud of that one." She ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't like when people are nice to me, it just makes me feel weird."

"Then why do you gather so many lovers?" Jordan stepped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Because I'm insatiable, remember?"

He kissed her shoulder. "That much is true."

"Jordan, this is Linda, Lydia's mother."

He held out a hand. "Thomas's a good soldier."

Linda shook his hand. "You two sure are affectionate."

"Oh, we have to be, or poor Elunara would starve." He added dramatically.

She shoved his face. "Oh, leave off, you."

He laughed and let her go.

"What does that mean?" Someone asked.

"It's a private joke." She rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm sure they've heard the term "man eater" before. You just take it rather literally."

"Don't you get jealous?" Another asked.

"Of what? I'm already the second husband. Getting jealous of anything Elunara does would just be hurting myself."

"SECOND?"

"I have two husbands, a wife, two kids, and two cats." She tapped a finger to her chin. "Gee, at this rate, I'm going to need a second wife, just to complete the set."

"Sorry, I'm already taken." Zelinnia grinned.

"Ah, there's my girl." Elunara kissed her temple. "How's Renwa?"

"Abigail here decided to pitch a fit for sunlight in the middle of the meeting. He's having to take his own notes." She rocked her head back and forth. "Knowing HIM, he'll be cussing and swearing at my other notes."

"Still haven't taught him your system?"

"I never can." She sighed. "Hello Jordan."

"Heya, Zel. I don't suppose I could hold the baby?"

She handed her over with a sigh. "She's getting big. I'm going to have to get a stroller made."

"I have mine somewhere."

"That'd be lovely."

Jordan gave a soft sigh. "I kinda like the babies."

Elunara rolled her eyes. "You want a baby; you're going to have to find some random chick to knock up." She shrugged. "If she's hot enough, maybe she can be my... uh, what number are we on?"

"Four? Zelinnia knitted her brow. "Or are we counting that other orc too?"

"Not yet we're not." Elunara grumbled.

Jordan laughed. "No, Elunara. You are the only woman for me." He kissed her temple. "I'm not sure I could look at any other woman the same way again." He passed the baby back to Zelinnia. "I have to go back to it." He pulled Elunara for a mouth searing kiss. "Later, Baby." And walked off whistling.

Zelinnia laughed. "Every time Renwa does that to me, I wind up saying something horribly embarrassing. The man makes my brain go numb."

"It always pleases me to hear you both so happy."

"Where is Tulani today?"

"In her studio."

"I'll go visit."

"Bye, little darling."

Linda laughed. "I thought you said people being nice to you made you uncomfortable."

"Yes, but I know them. I've spent time with them, lived with them. I'm used to strangers just disliking me on principle. Hell, my own mother called me the worst thing to happen to Darnassus, before she chucked me out to live on my own."

Elunara looked over and took off running. Before anyone had realized what happened, she was kneeling down and checking Lydia for injuries. "Girl, that was dumb."

"Ow..."

She wiped the girl's tears. "Now you know, mind the edge."

"I'm sorry, I just... I never got to dance like the other girls. And I had this big stage..." She sniffled.

Elunara sighed and brushed the girl's hair out of her face. "I understand how that goes. But you've still got to mind the edge, ok?"

"Yeah."

Elunara stood the girl up and brushed her off. "I know that had to hurt, and I know you're embarrassed, but shake it off, and move on. OK?"

"Yes, Miss Elunara."

Linda finally caught up. "What happened?"

"She fell off the platform, but she's ok."

"You were over here so fast; I never even saw her fall."

"Hey, kid."

"Yes, Miss Elunara?"

"Come with me. I have an idea. You too, Linda."

"Hey Tulani, I have a project for you."

Tulani and Zelinnia looked over. "Yes, my love?"

"This kid needs a new pretty party dress. You up for designing one?"

Tulani gathered her things. "Of course."

"Cool. You... do whatever it is you do. I'm going to get my board." Elunara stepped out, finished her thought and stuck he head in. "My commission." She went for her board.

Linda walked into the Library and just stared. "But, why?"

"Girl gets a new set of legs; she should get a new dress to go with it. Besides, what else is she going to wear to the party?"

"What party?"

"The one I'm working on. Though, Ina is better at this stuff, maybe I should get her..." Elunara tapped on her chin and continued to work.

"You make my brain hurt."

"Renwa would agree with you whole-heartedly."

"I..." The papers on the wall caught her attention. She began to slowly make her way around the room, studying each piece. "Did you do all this?"

"And every book in here."

"Holy..."

"My entire life is in these books. Every moment of every day that I chose to be drawing, is in these books. My family, except for the kids, have read these books. I've let my kids read certain parts because it was important, but I kept them from the nastier things. When they're old enough, they can read them too. I have these pictures all over the house, those the boys' room is more animals and plant life drawings."

"Can I?"

"Knock yourself out."

Linda pulled out a book and opened it up, flushing at what she found. She continued to flip through out of curiosity. She stuck the book back on the shelf and went for another random one. "You really leave nothing to the imagination."

"I report in my books the same way I reported to the SI:7 detailed, concise and with as little emotion as possible."

"And you're sure the children haven't been in here?" She flipped through another one.

"It's locked when I'm not in residence. Someone broke in some time ago and destroyed my books. It took me a stupid amount of time to fix it all."

"How sad."

"The bastard wound up getting Jordan killed, and Jordan's death unlocked a strange power inside of me."

"Jordan died?"

Elunara got up and plucked a book off of the shelf and opened it up. "He was shot in the face, that's why he has that scar."

Linda sat down and began reading. "Oh, oh wow."

Elunara chuckled. "Both of my husbands have been murdered in front of my face. And in both situations, I called on a power I didn't know I had, and brought them back from the nether. I will do anything for my family, no matter how crazy. Forgive me if I saw a little girl struggling, and had to do something to about it. My boys were trying so hard to help her, that I had to do so myself." Elunara said quietly.

"And I am endlessly grateful." Linda swallowed the rock in her throat. "And here she is, so excited to have a new dress. She used to never be excited about a dress fitting. She wanted thick heavy skirts to hide her legs. Fancy was out of the question, because she would be sitting in it all night." Linda stood up. "Forgive me" She left the room.

Linda left with a bouncy child, excited about her dress.

Tulani sighed and wrapped her arm around Elunara's waist. "You're a beautiful person, you know that, right?"

Elunara wrapped her arm around Tulani's back. "I've gone soft, shoot me."

Zelinnia laughed and wrapped an arm around Elunara's waist. "No can do. We need you."

Elunara tickled Zelinnia's hip. "I'm about to make a down payment on that commission I just ordered." She grinned. "Care to help me pay?"

Zelinnia grinned. "Well, it has been awhile, and Abigail is sleeping."

Elunara flipped her sign and closed the door. "Good answer."