Dreamed This Up (Dreams, Book 1)

Chapter 10: Parents ...

Filan bustled the adults into the sitting area. "Good, good! Come, children! Oh, Sukie, get the drinks! And add two more to the table for tonight! Oh, it's lovely to have you all home you must tell me all about that work of yours, it's beyond me why any would work there, but I suppose it looks good somehow - Oh here are the drinks - Sit down won't you ! Oh so nice - "

When she finally stopped to draw a breath, Rofin patted her hand, "Thank you, mother." She beamed at him and was about to launch into a new torrent, but he held up his hand, and said, "One moment, please"

The adults were scattered around the room, his father in one chair, looking amused, his mother still fluttering about, his brother and sister-in-law in two other chairs, his brother looking glad to see him, and his sister-in-law faintly bored. Rofin had pulled Sophie to the small couch in to middle, that sat two.

"Sit down, please, Mother. Thank you, Sukie." as the maid brought in drinks and deftly maneuvered his mother into a chair. "There now, Lady F, you just relax and enjoy your boys bein' home"

She barely glanced at the harac maid, but settled down in the chair, gaze fixed on her son.

Rofin gripped Sophia's hand and began, "Mother, I promised you I'd bring home a bride one of these days, and I have -"

"Well, where is she!"

"Here." He puts his arm around Sophia, and she can feel him tremble slightly. Is his mother so fearsome?

"Where? What! You don't mean her." Filan spits in a tone one might reserve for a small and ugly bug. "Son, she's not, she 's not even a person, they're harac. They exist FOR US. How DARE she! How do you even know the spawn is yours! They're notorious hussies, you know. If it weren't for the breeding value I'd have them all sterilized and-"

"FILAN," thunders Rotalin, "That is enough." He levels a stern look at Rofin, "Son, you had better have a good explanation for this."

Filan flops back in her chair, frantically fanning herself. Talin has raised eyebrows, and Huda, oddly enough, appears to be stifling a laugh.

"Father, Mother, I apologize for upsetting you, but it is true. I brought her from her Race Day-" Huda snorts, "a racer brat", and Talin glares at her, "and she has lived with me since. She does bear my child, I have proof, and I'd appreciate you according her the respect due the mother of your grandchild!"

On the last line Rofin stands up, and pulled Sophia to stand beside him. "The deed is done and we have given each other our pledge. Look at my eyes if you don't believe me!"

Rotalin clears his throat. "We saw that Rofin, and hoped it met you had found a suitable wife, but this one-"

"-IS suitable, and she is my wife. I will guard her with my life, and our child shall live freely. Now, I want him to have the support of a family, but if you cannot give it, we will still go on, with out you then."

There is stunned silence.

Then it is broken by the slap of a hand on a knee, the Rifan way of clapping, by Huda. "Well said. The tiger has shown his teeth to the dragon. Although what the child of a tiger and a rabbit might live to be, no one can tell"

"Huda!" snaps Talin, "behave yourself before Mother" She merely snorts again, and says, "I will call the children, it is time for their dinner. I'd better warn them not to eat the mother of their cousin." With a final sneer she flounces out the door.

Rotalin too rises. "Compose yourself, wife. If indeed our fine son has allowed himself to be ensnared by a miserable chiv of a harac, we must accept it. Though how he got her pregnant I don't want to know. They're not supposed to be compatible, but it has happened, and the child if not the mother must be accepted. Thankfully he is not the heir." He stalks from the room.

"That would be me," mumbles Talin from his chair. Slowly he unfolds his long frame and casually approaches Sophie. "Welcome, dear sister-in-law," he yawns, "to the nuthouse. Be glad my brother is the second son. You might get to live in peace" He ambles out of the room.

Now the only one left is Filan, who still will not look at Sophia. "Please, Rofin," asks his mother, "Are you sure?"

Rofin goes to her, leaving Sophia by the couch. "Yes, Mother. I am. Can you not accept her for my sake?"

She groans. "Not now. Not - oh, please, leave for now. Take her with you. Send Sukie in to help me, and have her make the arrangements, I cannot bear to think of them right now."

"Thank you, Mother" He stands, "Come, my love, I will show you my old room.' He smiled, "Now ours."

***

i'n't she awful? :D Fortunately my own mother is nothing like this, nor any other mother in law whom I've ever met ;)

Have to do more tomorrow!

Image from stock photo, altered

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a76/TaliaG/WattPad/RFNQ_zpsjkgvj5yp.png