The Sigurd Estate

"I'm- sorry," was all Estrella managed to say, even though she really did not feel the need to apologize. Her previously content mood had been crushed by Valcan's words, her expression overcome by somberness.

She pulled away from his grip, her dark eyes filled with confusion as her father stepped out onto the patio, looking back at him. Who was she to trust?
 
Valcan did not smile at his granddaughter, for he did not feel that her apology held much water and her actions did not constitute happiness. However, his mood was alleviated just a bit- He had not come here for Estrella in the first place.

Nodding to her, he started to turn to the patio door, only to see Tristan stepping through it. His voice dripping with poison, he greeted, "Why, Tristan, fancy meeting you here." He was quite eager to get out of the heat; he did not care what Tristan had to say to his daughter now; the seed of doubt was already planted and rooted deep.
 
"Far," Tristan greeted just as bluntly, looking from Valcan and then to Estrella, wondering just what had conspired. He was quite tired of playing his father's games to keep Estrella from the real truth; and he had an eerie suspicion that this last lecture had concered himself a great deal. "I never imagined I'd catch you in this heat."
 
"It always pays to keep an open mind," Valcan replied curtly, "Now, if you don't mind, I am going to get out of this heat. I'll leave you two alone. Give you some time to bond."

Valcan moved past Tristan quickly, a smug expression on his face as he entered the kitchen, his shoes clicking softly against the linoleum floor.
 
With a rather stony look towards his father, Tristan moved aside to let him pass, giving his daughter a weak smile. "Are you finding everything here alright? Everyone also, I suppose?"
 
"Yeah, I suppose," Estrella replied passively, "They're all really nice. I just didn't envision having to be yelled at right away. Thought that might come later, after everyone had settled down." Sweat pouring down her face, she could only muster a tiny smile, unsure what else to say to her father. Who would be sure after the words she had just been fed?
 
"I'm sorry. I should have mentioned that he would probably be here," Tristan said apologetically, feeling the sun beating down upon his back. If he kept his up, he'd get a bad sunburn, and no one wanted to see that. He did not ask what Valcan had wanted to talk about- He had a feeling he already knew, besides the general reasons.

Noticing how badly the heat was affecting her, he reached out and clutched Estrella's arm gently, tugging her towards the house. "Merlin- Who the hell would want to have a conversation in this heat? You should come outside; I'm surprised Far didn't fry out here."
 
Estrella could only nod to her father, glad that she didn't have to talk about the conversation that had occurred; she was uncomfortable enough as it was.

Quite relieved to get out of the heat, she wiped the sweat off of her face with her shirtsleeve, moving into the kitchen, which was getting rather crowded for her taste. She had a feeling the house would be like this for the duration of her stay. She was glad when her father closed the patio door, reveling in the cool air of the house. Cool as it could be, anyway, without air conditioning.
 
Daisy looked out the door, noticing they were not having a friendly coversation. "I guess they are arguing. Poor girl." She had seen Valcan at his meanest, and it was a side she never wanted to see of him turned on herself, in any degree. As they were standing there, Tristan came stalking thru the room, and entered the patio and Valcan came back inside and walked across the room. She looked up at Lief, a puzzled look on her face. "When did Tristan get back? And where is Erik? I thought he was going to get him." She knew it was going to be an interesting few weeks.
 
With a nod to Lief and Daisy, Valcan stalked into the living room, sitting in a chair opposite Sarah and quite a distance from Brunhilde. Instead of taking part in such uncomfortable company, he picked up Annette, placing her in his lap. He looked around with his golden eyes, his expression smug.
 
Just as confused as Daisy, Lief's brow furrowed in concentration. After musing for a moment, he said, "I truly don't know, dear. I don't even try to think when it comes to that stuff anymore." Kissing her gently on top of the forehead, he wondered exactly what was going on but wasn't going to bug himself about it.

"Although," he said quietly, "I think I did see something small rush through here out of the corner of my eye.

Looking around, he heard a giggle, turning to the kitchen table. Breaking away from Daisy, he bent down to look under the table, thinking he knew the source of the laughter.
 
Erik had sat down under the table, hide and seek having become his favorite game. He found it especially humorous when it took forever for people to find him.

Snickering as the man bent down to look under the table, with a shrill giggle he was on his feet, catapulting himself at his legs with the greatest speed his little legs could muster.
 
Lief was not expecting the full blown tackle from a nearly two year old child, pain exploding on the lower half of his body as he smacked his head on the top of the table. Groaning audibly, he thought to himself, I am so glad the kids can't walk. He couldn't imagine his sweet little Anders and Annette like this.

Keeled over, he groaned, grimacing in pain.
 
Erik giggled as the blonde man he did not know toppled over, stopping before the woman who was in the room. Always the charmer, jumping in place, he grinned up at her, his ice blue eyes bright. "HI!" he expressed happily, showing his pearly whites. For some odd reason, he was only naughty to men; he didn't dare attack women. But he had always been a mumma's boy.
 
Daisy laughed as Lief was taken out by their nephew. He was in obvious pain, but she was laughing so hard she had tears. "You just had to go looking didn't you!" she said between laughs. Then she noticed the little boy in front of her, smiling as wide as possible. "Erik. You need to appologize to your Uncle Lief for being naughty." She spoke with her best motherly voice, calm and smooth. It was a voice that she had recently discovered worked wonders with the twins.
 
Erik cocked his head to the side, seeming almost too big for his chubby body. Planting his tiny bum on the linoleum floor and giving her his most winning smile, he inquired in his high pitched voice, "Why?"
 
Daisy rolled her eyes at his question then responded as she headed over to get yet another boo-boo pack from the freezer. "Because Auntie Daisy told you too. Now go give him a hug and say you are sorry." She had a no-nonsense tone about her as she spoke, walking over to Lief and handing him the cold pack. "How are you sweetie? Can I help out?"
 
"Otay," Erik said, with his own little smirk running up to Lief quickly, hugging his arm, and then with a hurried "Sawwy," he ran out of the room and into the hallway, squealing shrilly. The woman had never said the word no, nor bad; so in his mind, nobody was telling him not to do it again.
 
Sarah had been sitting in the living room floor by the twins when Valcan entered and picked up Annette. Her eyes followed him to the chair where he sat, realizing how well he had aged. "Hello Valcan. I did not realize you were going to be here as well, though I should have guessed." Being it was the holidays, she opted to be polite to him, even if she really was not meaning it. "How have you been?"
 
Grimacing in pain, Lief groaned in his thick accent, "Why do I get the feeling that he didn't really mean that?" He rose, attempting to grin at his wife, his eyes wide as he tried to get over the pain. "No, I think I'll be okay-" he said disconcertedly, "I just hope to Merlin Anders never does that. Nor Annette, for that matter."
 
Tristan could see a commotion from the other side of the sliding door, opening it as Lief was pulling himself up from the floor, using the table. "What happened in here?" he inquired, wondering exactly why his younger brother was on the ground. He appeared as if he had been hit hard, and in a tender place, at that.
 
Estrella was the last through the sliding door, quite grateful to be back into the cool house. Stepping to the other side of her father, she looked around the room quizzically; Lief appeared as if he had been through the mill, and Daisy fit to burst from laughing. The real culprit was nowhere in sight.

Deciding not to say anything, she figured that her father's words were enough of a question.
 
Valcan had taken to bouncing Annette in his lap, whom looked around the room with wide eyes. He was rather annoyed with Estrella but decided that since he had already lectured her he would not let it ruin the night.

Snapping out of his thought he looked up to Sarah. Normally he would have been inclined to retort with a smartass remark, but for his son's sake, which was a rarity, he decided to be at least somewhat civil.

"Evening, Sarah," he replied coolly, having already known well enough that his ex lover would have been there. "I have been quite alright, I suppose. And yourself?"
 
"I have been well enough. Anxious to see these little ones," Sarah replied as she played with Anders. She was playing a bit of peek-a-boo with him and a blankie. He was giggling. She noticed that Annette was watching them from Valcan's lap and smiling.
 
"As have I," Valcan replied simply, looking down to Annette, who was smiling back at her brother and grandmother. "Work keeps me away from the family most of the time." He possessed an immense fondness for his two youngest grandchildren; the fact that neither were bastards probably helped a bit. He was content to hold the little toddler, who was luckily not such a wiggle worm. He wondered when dinner was going to be; he was quite ravenous.
 
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