Ruminating

[Circe Verne]

She kept her hands out. "I can give you a caryring bag, I always have extra, and the truth is you've no idea if you will need them in the future." She looked a him stubbornly. "No, out with it, just finish what you were going to ask."

[Orenar Taninide]

"I was not going to ask anything. You were hearing things. I simply coughed, that was all. You are imagining things." He shook his head.

[Circe Verne]

"You can tell that old wives tale to another. I heard you clear as day saying 'How.'" She dropped the rocks near his feet, and brought her knees up to chin, wrapping her arms around it. "I know this is rather random, but I do care for you as a surrogate father, Orenar."

[Orenar Taninide]

"Did I hear you correctly? You consider me a father? Someone who has never done a single thing for you your whole life?" He shook his head. "You truly are insane Circe."

[Circe Verne]

"Yes, you heard me correctly and you know it. Maybe you've not done anything of current memory or of immediate memory, but you have. I did say it was rather random, didnt I?" She laughed. "After being with Rilon for so long, insanity is a requisite."

[Orenar Taninide]

"My son does not make you insane. It is very much the other way around I assume and I am probably correct." he nodded and eyed her. "Whatever you say Circe."

[Circe Verne]

She stopped laughing, and dug her toes in the sand. "And how would you know, Orenar?" She looked at him curiously. "You've not spend as much time with him as I have, and either way it was a joke."

[Orenar Taninide]

"No, I have not spent as much time with him as you, but I have known him longer than you have Circe." He nodded. "Jokes, and since when was I a fan of these things?" He looked to her and let slip half a smile.

[Circe Verne]

"Of course you have, you are his father after all." She smiled slightly, then chuckled a bit. "Never said you were, but I wont change how I am for you." She turned to him and winked playfully, before staring back into the water. "If you wish it, you should come to the Grotto for some dinner. I'm not saying you have to stay there for longer than your meal is on the plate, but it would be nice."

[Orenar Taninide]

"You are inviting me to your house? Me of all people? The same woman who yelled me out of her previous establishment?" He looked at her curiously."What's the catch?"

[Circe Verne]

"It was justifiable last time. You had no right to speak of that poor Demoness as you did. She may have been weak, but she needed a bit of warmth after what she went through." She smiled slightly. "Besides with a new home, there arent such memories. There's really no catch, just you coming to eat, and spending a short period of time with your son and grandson."

[Orenar Taninide]

He winced slightly. "Well, he's not really my grandson, but I will try and treat him as such, and you can imagine how that will be, so do not throw an attitude at me for feeling bad for that boy, whatever his name is."

[Circe Verne]

She sighed slightly, shifting her head to his direction. "He may not be by blood, but he is by name, and by what Rilon has treated him as. His name is Regulus, and I just ask for an effort. I know it might be an inconvenience, so all I ask is for you to come, if anything arises, you know well enough I'll find a way to stop it." She laughed briefly.

[Orenar Taninide]

"I'm sure you will Circe. You were always, and will always be a woman willing to participate in a fight, especially when it is considering anyone of my name and blood." He shook his head. "At least Rilon did SOMETHING right."

[Circe Verne]

She laughed slightly. "If I didnt know any better that could almost pass for a compliment, hmm. But since it's you whose saying it, we'll make pretend it's a nice put-down on your part."