Unanticipated Events

Brit sat with the dictionary while slowly flipping the pages. “Unexpected,” she lisped. “Unexpected means not anticipated; as in unexpected guests or unexpected news.” After reading over the words several times, she closed the book. The Shelter was filled with guests. A small group was frantically searching for a paper they had left on the table. Brit asked, “What is it?” After much shuffling, they told her that it was simply a chart. As words slowly formed, Brit realized it was the table she had given to Apollo. The group grew silent when she told them that she had given it to him since his name was on it. After a moment of silence, the group quickly said good-byes and scattered before Apollo happened by.

Brit wondered where Ethan had gone because he was not there when she woke. After a shower, she dressed and walked to the foyer of the Shelter. Some residents arrived and left, each greeting her. Outside, Lord Winter and Winterkitty, the snow creatures she and others had made, had been toppled, trampled, and might have been shot. “Not unexpected,” she lisped and noticed that the snow still was mostly intact. If she wanted, she thought, she could make them again without much trouble.

While making the snow creatures, many had helped. It started with Apollo, and then Lorne and Beau had joined. They were discussing a poem of a king who had died. Whether he was once great or whether he merely thought he was, in the end, the king was simply dust commanding sand. In the middle of the discussion, Brianna had fallen to the ground with bloody hands. “Unexpected,” lisped Brit softly as she applied her new words. Others had come and gone: Quiet, someone she did not know named Mei, a young vampire who seemed not to know she was a vampire, Jason, and several others. Then Ethan had come, but he did not help her make snow creatures. She giggled thinking of him and lisped, “Not unexpected.” While most playful, Ethan rarely engaged in group silliness.

During the day, she had seen many in passing. Some, such as Nerissa, she used to see often. Others, such as Redd and Tonks, she had just met. Brit mused on why she passed by Nerissa and had spent much time talking to the new library helpers. She had also seen Denny and Omega where Omega was playing music. Spinning, she thought it was called, but they had not stopped to visit with them. Was it expected or unexpected not to linger as one used to with old friends or was that something reserved for new ones.

Picking up her mug of cocoa, she tapped her nails on it while lost in thought. She sometimes missed the days of talking with those whom have been so close to her. “Denny, Omega, Grr, Joah, Larissa.” So many she thought. “Poncho. Merma. Tony. Ellie. Mel.” She took more than an hour saying each name slowly less she forget anyone. “Stacy. Jon. Choi.” Some she saw often and some she rarely saw these days. “Pieter. Blueray. Nikita.” The names she said went on and on. Was it expected or unexpected for so many to come and go as if weaving through one’s life?

Pars’s disappearance on the docks that day was unexpected, she thought. Pars had watched over her from birth. He had always been near. Before he disappeared, she had never been alone. Taking another sip of her cocoa, she realized that she had become accustom to people leaving. Each walked in to her life and stayed a while before leaving as quietly as Pars had disappeared from the docks. Such occurrences had become expected to many, but never to Brit.

Nikita’s reappearance was not a surprise to Brit. When Ethan greeted her, Brit had felt her presence. Calm and familiar. Ethan simply told Nikita that she had been missed. Nodding, Brit agreed and had asked, “Where did you go?” Nikita replied with a single word: Scotland. Looking to Ethan, Brit felt that the response must have been expected. Regardless, it was good to have her home.

Brit turned on the radio and listened to Omega’s voice over the airwaves. She could picture Denny standing near his love. Another sip of cocoa and she smiled as Omega dedicated “Come What May” to her and Ethan. Brit nibbled dunked marshmallows as she listened and thought it was sweet of Omega to have played it. Omega’s voice and Denny near her was expected. The song was not and Brit found that an unexpected pleasure.

Thinking more on Denny, Brit sighed softly. In the week before, he had paid an unexpected visit to the Shelter. While there, he acted oddly and said some horrible things to Ethan. In the end, he said to Ethan that their marriage was cursed and that they would be divorced. Later, Ethan had assured her that too much drink lead to such words. Drunk or no, Ethan had told Denny he was no longer welcome in the Shelter; and Denny had not been in the library when Brit was there. She missed him, but he had unexpectedly been scarcely near for months.

Looking up, Brit watched more people come in. One sat for soup and Brit tried to remember whether the person had registered at the Shelter. When she started to inquire, the lady left making Brit realize she had just slipped in for the soup. Shrugging, Brit felt good that the woman had something to warm her belly on such a frigid day. Brit waved at the little demon that she and Ethan had found freezing in the street before her thoughts returned to wondering where Ethan had gone. Stifling a yawn, she thought of the unexpected turmoil during the day while they slept.

It could not have been more than 30 minutes past dawn. Brit was wound around Ethan who lay dormant beneath her. Her eyes opened to the sound of growling. Low and menacing. Raising her head, she blinked through the darkness of the room, but sensed no one was near. “Ethan,” she lisped. Giving him a shake, she repeated, “Ethan?” She really did not expect him to respond without more effort on her part. Thinking that perhaps it was a dream, she settled again on top of him and started to sleep again. Her eyes had closed for sleep and she heard it again.

Lifting her head once more, she rubbed her eyes to try to wake so that she could focus. Again, the growling was heard. Louder. Her eyes widened and she wriggled free of Ethan to find a window. Listening at the door, she could tell that again, none were near. Brit’s feet pattered softly on the cold floor as she opened the door to go to the windows of the hallway. Looking down, she saw her undisturbed snow creatures standing guard. More growling and an angry male voice could be heard. Leaning toward the glass, Brit saw a neko male and a human lady standing at the door. A huge lycan was growling.

Brit tapped on the glass, but no one heard her. It was then that she saw the lycan lunge at the male crashing him backwards. Brit ran down stairs to the front door opening it. No one seemed to notice her. Turning she shouted, “Turmoil!” No sound answered and she turned back to the door. The male neko was obviously shaken, and Brit understood the lycan when he told the neko boy that he was to perish. Brit regrouped and lisped, “You can easily kill him….but….I would be grateful…and would tell Wotan so….if you allowed him to live.” The lycan seemed surprised by her request.

Reflecting on the lycan’s reaction of pausing, Brit realized her actions were not expected. The lycan, she guessed, probably knew he could think on what happened and knew he could kill the kitty boy another time if he chose to do it. Brit puffed her cheeks and hoped he would just forget about the kitty. The lycan left and so Brit took the couple inside. She paused seeing Lorne at the door. He seemed to ensure all was well, and then left. Looking above him, she wondered momentarily whether Brianna was tottering from the rooftop again.

Once inside, the kitty boy seemed angry. Just as Brit knew she was not like others, he knew that the lycan could have easily killed him. The way he looked at the lady, Brit knew that she was the kitty’s beloved. Tilting her head, Brit knew that he was also wondering who would care for his lady should he perish. Both the kitty and human girl were cold, and Brit found them jackets from the Shelter’s lost and found. Watching them calm, Brit felt herself relax even as she could hear the howling in the distance as the lycan told its story to the others in the wee hours of morning. Brit felt tired, but ensured that the couple had food and knew where they could rest. Walking to the door of the Shelter again, Brit saw another resident return home and then she returned to the resting place.

Finishing her cocoa, she sighed softly. A most unexpected turn of events. “You left our resting place?” came Ethan’s soft voice as he brushed snow from his shoulders. She was pleased to see him. Rising, she kissed his lips before hugging warmly. Ethan returned a trio of kisses and looked her over as he always did upon greeting. His ability to see within her mind was not unexpected. It felt warm and she welcomed when it occurred. Her ability to hear his thoughts that followed, however, was new. It was unexpected. The growl from within him, however, was expected. Another kiss was obviously needed and she could feel his eyes follow her as she rinsed her cup. “Baby,” he said softly.

Brit could hear his thoughts that formed, and so she hugged him and kissed him again lingeringly. “I cannot allow someone to perish at our door without saying something, Ethan…” Her eyes met his and he could hear her thoughts explain that he would not allow such happenings either. Blinking, Ethan was unsure whether it was her nature or his blood that prompted some of her actions. Kissing her forehead, he wrapped her close to him and rocked both of them in a warm embrace while he pondered the events that he had seen within her mind.

The Nature of Beasts

One evening in September, Blueray intervened with a tut-tut as Apollo reached to touch Brit’s bite marks in front of Ethan and, Ethan’s abrupt reaction and words caused her to smile cruelly. Her thoughts turned to the true nature of a beast when its treasure is touched. She had heard tales of it, but had never witnessed it for herself. Apollo seemed quite bewildered. Blueray warned, “Do you really want to die so easily?”
*****
Ethan watched Brit as she walked from the diner. Her three days away from him surely affected her negatively. His eyes narrowed as he observed. She didn’t seem as peppy as she usually was, he noted grimly and, before her absence, she would have all but ran up the steps. To Ethan, this confirmed what he already knew: While others could try to care for his beloved, only he really knew how to tend to her best. The thought briefly cheered him up and he watched her duck inside.

Ethan nodded briefly to the guests of the Shelter as he followed Brit in. When she slowed to greet those she had not seen in a few days, he felt his annoyance return. Patches of news were exchanged. All caused his mood to grow darker. He wanted to thoroughly check her over and her usual inattentiveness fueled his displeasure at this moment. “Brit, please,” he said as he gestured impatiently toward the stairs. A few steps later, Ethan found himself speaking to another, “I must speak with my wife. You will please excuse us.” By the time they reached the landing, Ethan muttered in a language he had all but forgotten, “Good lord. Herding cats would be easier.” As they reached the door, he said, “I wish you to remove those clothes when we settle.”

Remembering the pictures of medicinal cups that were applied to the skin, Brit stopped just outside of the door. Seeing others nearby, he wrapped an arm about her waist as he opened the door and easily deposited her inside the room. The door shut with a loud thud and he audibly exhaled. “Ethan,” she lisped softly. His mouth did not move but she heard his voice loudly within her head exclaim, “Do as I say!” She backed away slightly in surprise and bumped the desk.

Seeing her surprise, he looked down uncomfortably for a moment and rechecked his temper before looking up at her again. “Brit, remove your clothing.” His jaw muscle clenched as he added, “Please.” Watching him a moment, she nodded and fumbled with the lacings on the front of the dress. He could tell that she was not frightened, but she was bewildered at his mood. Her hands shook in confusion causing him to soften a bit more. Walking to her, he took her hands kissing the palm of each one and rubbing them with his thumb. Arranging them on her lap, his hand stroked her hair for a moment before he took her laces and started to pull. Ethan said softly, “Why…why did you leave the Shelter….our resting place?” His eyes watched attentively for an answer.

She watched him curiously. His voice sounded different. Thicker. Peering up at him, she replied sincerely, “My chest hurt, Ethan, and you were resting. And I remembered Joah could make people better.” He quietly loosened the bodice before staring at her palms again. This time, he removed the gloves to look more closely at her skin. His fingers tracing to her wrists turning them over in his hands as if viewing a precious coin to ensure it is the same coin as seen the day before. Watching him rub at a white fleck on her fingernail, she wondered whether he would answer.

Ethan slid the bodice from her shoulders and untied the skirt to watch it fall. Ethan’s chest rose and fell as if he was exhaling again and he nodded that he understood. His eyes looked different. Darker. His fingers removed the bodice and skirt completely before he lifted her to the desk to remove her boots noting that one of the buckles was even on the wrong notch. His fingers examined her legs one at a time as he removed her stockings after popping each garter. Noting no changes, he placed a hand on each side of her hips and said coolly, “I could have tended to you when I woke.”

“But you were resting,” she explained. It was all most logical to her.

Caressing her skin through the chemise, he noted a spot of fabric that was wearing thin. It wasn’t there before! Ethan could smell the scent of the library under the heady eucalyptus scent that still clung to her skin despite her shower. The library smell was not unpleasant, but it was not the finely milled soap that he had created after spending several hours in the perfumery. Without a response, he picked her up and carried her to the shower. Turning on the water, he touched it to be sure it was warm before removing her chemise and pressing her under the water.

Watching her play in the water a bit lightened his mood. Ethan removed his shoes, socks and jacket before quickly rolling his pant legs and shirt sleeves. Not caring that the fabric got wet, he lathered up her hair in the familiar vanilla-laced shampoo that held a barely-there hint of musk. His hands soaped her up using the same scent. Each time, he would bring her near and inhale deeply until she seemed familiar with his eyes closed. As he dried her, he noticed every mark that had not been on her before and quizzed her over each and every one of them.

After Brit was dried, Ethan rubbed lotion into her skin. Noting her smooth texture, he wondered who had supplied her with personal necessities. She had necessities, he thought darkly. Here. Shaking off the grim thought, he carefully started to comb out her wet hair. “Did someone comb your hair out, Brit?” he asked suspiciously.

Brit said, “No. I did that myself.”

Neglectful, Ethan thought. It was just more proof that only he could properly care for her. He smirked at the thought. Ethan selected her dress and make up for the following evening, but kept her wrapped in a large bath sheet for now. A few final checks and he felt that she was as she had been before leaving even if she had a bit of the cold lingering.

Still a bit weary from her cold, she snuggled against him. After arranging her just so, he nuzzled her neck and bit gently. Her blood tasted differently. Perhaps it was the lingering cold or maybe it was her change in diet. No matter, Ethan thought. It will be normal soon. With that thought, he brought his wrist up and bit so the blood pooled. “You will drink now.” There was no ‘please’ or other nicety. His voice left no question whether it was offered as he pressed it against her lips and held it so until she drank sufficiently.

Ethan was nearly falling over from needing to rest when he finally pulled her to him and set the mist around the door to protect. Waking before he did as always, Brit pulled on what he wanted her to wear and tried to open the door finding it quite locked. She fumbled with the mechanism. After a few minutes, she knew that it would only open when his eyes did.

Home Remedies

((Taken from RP))
Brit woke disoriented and drenched. Outside, the rain continued to pour down hard and the streets were silent. There was fire. Turning her head quickly, she blinked and then recognized the warm hearth of the library fireplace. Trying to piece together events of the evening before, she clawed her wet hair matted to her face. Sitting up, she pushed back Denny’s cape that she had swaddled around her. The library was quiet. Grr looked up from where he worked nearby. She heard Joah’s voice mingled with Faye Li’s somewhere near along with Omega’s. Comforting, but where was Ethan?

Blinking slowly, she watched the flames jump and remembered being in the Shelter with her beloved. He was talking to someone. “I suppose it is all a big circle in the city,” he had said. There was something about the factory. It was not about the guests who had to work off a theft of fuel from there. She closed her eyes and tried to remember. There was a girl with a mechanical smile who made healthy soups. Apollo was mentioning cookies. Brit felt very cold while they spoke and Ethan had cuddled her to him. Then it happened: A tickle of her nose that caused her to sneeze.

Brit could not remember what people were talking about. She recalled that she was shivering as she accepted the hanky Ethan had given her to assist with her dripping nose. His hand slid to her head. Apollo and the girl with the mechanical smile were continuing to discuss soups. Something about shellfish. Something about ways to make them safe to eat. Ethan had blinked and said, “Okay. This is exactly why I said not to forget your raincoat or umbrella, Brit.” He quickly wrapped up his conversations and directed Brit upstairs. Ethan’s jaw clenched and she was quite certain that he was cross with her.

As they were leaving, Apollo mentioned a nurse who was suited for other purposes than nursing. Closing her eyes tightly, Brit remembered feeling very tired as she made it to their resting place and Ethan checking her over. He counted her heartbeats and placed his lips to her forehead. “My head hurts,” she told him. “My nose feels tickly.” His eyes turned dark as he listened while he continued to methodically check her vital signs. “I’m cold,” she whispered.

Turning her away from him, he said sternly, “You will drink now.” His expression made it obvious that he expected nothing more than compliance. Raising his left sleeve, he flexed his fist before bringing his wrist to his mouth and biting down. Hugging her from behind, he held his opened wrist to her mouth and noted that she was stuffy and had a bit of trouble swallowing. His strict expression flashed to worry and he held her a bit tighter. The night was getting late. He had her drink deeply and pulled her to him as he drifted off after feeling that she seemed stronger.

Flames crackled in the fireplace. Brit remembered leaving the Shelter. It was too early for Ethan to wake. Congested. She found her chest hurt when she took breaths. The coughing had started and sneezing grew worse. Feeling weak, she vaguely remembered dodging large puddles to make her way to the library. Joah. She remembered that she had come to find Joah. When she entered, she was greeted by Grr and Joah. Faye Li was there and Omega arrived right after Brit did. Brit remembered some conversation between sneezes. She wanted to be sure that those at the library prepared for the rising waters just in case there was another flood. The small talk made her forget why she had arrived.

“Do you have a cold, Brit?” It was Joah’s voice. She was unsure what it meant, but she felt freezing. Brit had never had so much as a sniffle before. The sneezing and coughing was bewildering. She explained that Ethan told her that she had been in the rain too much and Grr indicated that Ethan was old enough to know.

Omega walked to Brit and gently placed her hand on Brit’s forehead only to find it hot and clammy. Omega sighed, “You’re ill.” With concern, Omega quizzed Brit. “Does it hurt to breathe? How long have you been coughing?” Omega nodded as Brit answered. “Such infections are not as serious as they once were, but best to be on the safe side, yes? You must drink a lot of water and juice, Brit.” Brit explained that she had also drank of Ethan’s vitae and Omega responded, “Ethan’s vitae will make you feel better and you must also feed yourself in more traditional ways.”

After inquiring whether Ethan would mind if they helped, all sprung to action. Grr made a warm soup of items from his pack. Brit vaguely recalled packets of items along with a blue enameled mug and a long, intact celery stalk. He poured in water from his canteen. Omega conversed to herself as she diagnosed a classic flu and stated through pursed lips, “Broad spectrum antibiotics.” Grr chopped celery with his KA-BAR knife and added it to the mug. “I do not think you are seriously ill, Brit, but these things can become serious quickly. You must rest. No running around. You must sit, and read, or colour.” Reflecting on gentler times, she said, “Perhaps some embroidery.”

Joah stepped back biting her lip and opened a book. Grr continued to mix the concoction in the mug and placed it into the flames to heat. Omega had offered Brit some antibiotic tablets telling her to discuss them with Ethan before taking them. Brit looked at the tablets thinking they seemed like magic beans. Joah was silent. Omega said, “Joah, look outside. I need you healthy for what is coming. If it becomes necessary, we will do what needs to be done. For now, let us look to mundane solutions.”

All were quiet for a time simply watching Grr work. Omega told Grr, “I will need a list of ingredients for that brew you are making. Ethan will want to know. As do I.” Grr nodded and stirred the liquid. The celery and other items started to swirl in the steaming soup. “I hardly think Ethan will object over a coup of soup, but best to keep him fully informed, don’t you think, Brit?”

Grr said, “Oh. Sure. Is he resting?”

After a coughing fit, Brit rubbed her nose and worried that Ethan would be unhappy with her for being sick. To Grr, she nodded “He will be okay with it. He said fluids, food, and um…onion poultices if I were not better when he woke.”

Omega smiled, “Yes. All good ideas.” Grr listed miso paste, shitaki mushroom, dried seaweed, sesame seeds and small dried prawns along with some fresh celery. Omega added, “Perhaps Ethan will allow one or two cures from this century too.” To Grr, she commended, “A good soup.”

Brit curled up with Denny’s cape in front of the fire and sipped the soup when Grr gave it to her. She enjoyed the salty taste, but realized that salt was all that she could taste. Omega, Faye Li, Joah, and Grr discussed terms for the Japanese people through the ages and all agreed that Celestials was a pleasing term.

Onion poultices as medicinal techniques were discussed. Brit wrinkled her stuffed nose at the mere sound of it and thought that her fine milled soap would never take a scent of such a thing away. Joah suggested, “Or some use eucalyptus.” A vivid picture of a eucalyptus poultice formed in her mind.

Omega agreed that a eucalyptus and menthol after admitting that onion poultices were not so pleasant, which was why they had fallen out of favor. Joah was asked to prepare the former with supplies on hand upstairs. Brit nibbled the soup appreciatively between coughing and sneezes. Omega reassured her, “If you are a good girl and drink lots of soup and juices, and if you rest, you will feel better soon.”

Joah and Faye Li went to the lab to create an inhalant to help sooth Brit’s breathing. Brit inquired whether it would have garlic and explained that Ethan found garlic repulsive. She also indicated that he was grouchy over her sneezes. “Grouchy, is he?” said Omega. Dryly, she smiled and said, “Yes. Well. Your delightful husband will have to learn there are some occasional issues with a mortal wife.” Upstairs, Joah and Faye Li conversed quietly while mixing the ingredients for the inhalant. Brit sipped the rest of the soup and was comforted by Grr as she shivered from time to time before the fire. Brit vaguely recalled Omega saying, “Hello, Jason. Have you come to try to kill someone today or are you just here to chat about the weather?”

Brit blinked slowly as she tried to remember the events. Jason and Omega talked. Grr discussed his soup as Brit shivered by the flames. Brit remembers a scent of peppermint, eucalyptus, and other scents filling the room. She thinks she may have dozed off only waking to Joah’s gentle touch. Using a t-shirt, Joah covered it in the heady scent of the oils mixed to help break up the congestion after testing it on Grr. His exclamation of “It works! It works! Dammit, get it away! For the love of a scent!”

Deciding against the t-shirt, Joah found a piece of flannel. Brit told Joah softly, “Sniffles…and…my ears itch…and my throat feels scratchy.” Joah also noted that Brit’s fever was up. Grr reassured Brit that getting well will take some time. He ensured she was dry and comfortable in front of the flames. Even Jason showed a hint of concern.

Joah placed some of the mixture on the flannel after heating it. Then she knelt by Brit. “Do you mind if I pin this just inside of your dress, Brit? It will help you breathe.” Brit held still while Joah tucked the flannel inside poultice to skin and pinned each side to Brit’s chemise. As her hand touched the flannel, it seemed to heat up again. The strong scent drifted up to Brit’s nose. Joah ensured Brit’s dress was properly arranged.

Brit could not smell the strong scent. She felt exhausted. Joah leaned over and touched her lips to Brit’s forehead lingering a moment with her eyes closed. “The lady was right. You do have an infection.” Brit did not fully comprehend anything other than she felt terrible. Joah explained that Brit would get better, and said that Ethan’s vitae was a natural antibiotic for her of sorts. Brit did not realize that she had started to breath through her nose again. Nor did she realize that, with Joah’s soft check to her forehead, her fever dropped dramatically. And at some point in the night, her fever broke soaking her.

Brit continued to lie on the pillow in front of the fire. Just a few more moments, she thought…then she would go shower and find Ethan. It was a good plan. Her eyes blinked and she slept again waking nearer to when Ethan would wake.