At The Sign Of The Happy Helg

Chapter 17

Teyla had rarely seen Elizabeth in so light-hearted a mood. She had given an "Oh!" of delight when she had entered the room they were to share, which was Teyla's former room, with the addition of an extra bed. Elizabeth had exclaimed over the little window seat (not commenting on the draught), and been delighted with the rose-patterned china on the wash-stand, not caring, or not realising, that this was it, in terms of washing facilities. It crossed Teyla's mind that Elizabeth might also be delighted with, or at least amused by the pottery helgs in bonnets on the parlour mantelpiece. With this in mind, she said, "Come, I will show you the parlour," and they went downstairs.

It was not, initially, the bonneted helgs that delighted both Teyla and Elizabeth, however, but the sight of John, entirely relaxed, sprawling in a many-cushioned chair, a large baby sitting on his lap, noisily blowing spit-bubbles, and a very small boy sitting at his feet, playing with his boot laces. A heavily pregnant woman sat opposite him, working on a sad-coloured piece of knitting. John looked up as they entered and smiled self-consciously. Teyla did not understand how or why he managed to look embarrassed to the point of guilt; if he were an Athosian man he would almost certainly be the father of a growing family by now. This thought gave Teyla a slight chill; perhaps it would be her lot, as well as his, to fight for the right of others to have a peaceful family life, but never experience one themselves. She shook off the feeling and introduced Elizabeth to Grella.

oOo

When they had entered the parlour, Elizabeth had had to exercise all of her considerable powers of diplomatic restraint in order not to smile and coo and indulge in sundry other sentimental sounds and exclamations wholly inappropriate to a woman of her position and standing. The scene was, however, and she would only use the word in the privacy of her own mind, adorable. John, looking comically flustered, had clearly been engaged in a mutually intelligible conversation with Ellet and, judging by the trail of drool that he was surreptitiously wiping from his chin, he had been a full and active participant. The baby suffered from no such embarrassed qualms and continued to burble noisily, while Teyla introduced Grella, who Elizabeth remembered speaking to over the comms.

"What beautiful children!" Elizabeth commented, sitting down next to Teyla. "And another due soon?"

"Oh, yes, I'm thinking probably tomorrow," said Grella, casually.

"Oh?"

"Well, it'll be a quiet day after the festival. That's usually the way it works, for me."

"Oh," said Elizabeth again, nonplussed. "What exactly does the festival involve?"

Grella picked up Tallen, who had been tugging at her skirt, and settled him comfortably on her lap where he sat, scrutinising Elizabeth, disconcertingly.

"There's no set pattern, really." Grella smiled. "You'll notice things are pretty relaxed here, generally. As long as the helgen are taken care of, we don't worry about the when or the how of things. Folks'll start arriving this afternoon and there'll be food and drink, music and dancing. The children, and some of the adults'll probably organise a snow battle. The main event's the helg racing, which happens when it's dark, because then it's more dangerous, which, apparently is a good thing, according to some. Then, things tail off when everyone's had enough, which can be when dawn rises in some years!"

"Cool," said John.

"That sounds like fun," said Elizabeth, brightly.

"I won't lie to you, sometimes it's mayhem," laughed Grella. "If it gets too much, just go to bed. Nobody'll mind."

Elizabeth smiled. It was nice to spend time somewhere so relaxed and accepting.

Lil entered, bearing a large tray of food. She set it down and arranged the bowls and plates on a table within everyone's reach. "There now," she said, with a satisfied air. "What shall I get you to drink? Tea?"