Room 424 [early afternoon]

[momslilassassin]

Seeing King (and really, other version of him, King?) had been, a little overwhelming, so when the boy had demanded to go out and play, Ben had extricated himself (read: fled) as quickly as possible and returned to his room.

And shut the door.

And was now building something in the hopes that he wouldn't hear anyone knocking. This was, of course, a doomed course of action.

[OOC: For Aravis, the wee one, and truly epic levels of SP.]

	Of course it was. Because there was an Aravis clutching a small hand in her own. "I wanna knock!" "Use your lady words, please." The little girl immediately rephrased. "May I knock, Mama?" "You may." Aravis let go of her hand, and the sullen-faced little girl knocked very carefully.
	Ben tilted his head and reached into the Force to figure out who it was: Aravis and another presence that was strong in the Force that he didn't recognize. He had a bad feeling about this. "It's open!" he called.
	The little girl went up on tiptoes to reach for the doorknob. "Papa!"
	"Nggrle," was Ben's coherent reply as he glanced immediately at Aravis.
	"Yes, hello, this is our daughter," Aravis told him almost cheerfully. She'd been through this once before, after all.
	"Um," Ben stammered, looking to the little girl now. "But we're not..."
	"The island thinks it's funny sometimes," Aravis said dryly, resting a hand on the little girl's head.
	"It's so very wrong," Ben replied in the same tone, finally put down his tools and going up to the little girl. "What's your name?" If it was Queen, so help him.
	"Mara Lucy," she said, standing up straight like Mama had taught her to.
	"Oh," Ben said, feeling all of the air leave his lungs.
	Aravis smiled softly, placing a hand on Mara's little shoulder. "I think it's a rather beautiful name, personally."
	Ben took a second to pull himself together. "It's very beautiful," he agreed, focusing on the little girl. "And so are you."
	Mara smiled up at Aravis. "Mama tells me that's not so important."
	"It isn't," Aravis agreed, shaking her head firmly. "And don't listen to a thing your Aunt Lasaraleen ever tells you to the contrary. You're bright and competent and that's what's important."
	Mara nodded solemnly. "And a lady," she added, fussing a little with her skirt.
	"And definitely one of those," Aravis added, nodding and shooting an amused look Ben's way.
	He managed to give her a slightly freaked out smile in return. "So, Mara," --no, still weird to say-- "what do you like to do?"
	"Ride horsi--horses," she corrected herself, "when we're where Mama comes from, and sit in ships and not touch anything when we visit Grandpapa." She frowned. "He says I have to have two numbers in my name before I can fly anything or touch a lightsaber."
	"He's right," Ben declared immediately.
	"He's very right," Aravis said, nodding. "Same goes for when you play with my sharp things."
	Mara's bitchface, it should not be much of a surprise, was priceless. And well practiced. "Fine."
	Ben arched up an eyebrow. "Tone, young lady," he said.
	Mara scuffed her shoes on the floor, then looked at her mother for support.
	"Ladies do not allow their frustration to show," Aravis told her, remembering her own mother's words.
	"'m not fust'ated," Mara said, enunciating carefully. "I'm...annoyed."

Comments

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"And why are you annoyed?" Aravis asked slowly.

[skycrawlers.livejournal.com]

Because she didn't get her way. She was trying to come with a more polite way to say that.

"Because I don't like being thwarted," she came up with. She'd learned that word from Granddad, and liked how grown up it sounded.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Ladies," Aravis told her, "accept defeat gracefully."

She'd always been bad at that part, herself.

[skycrawlers.livejournal.com]

"You don't," Mara replied.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"I did when my mother told me to," Aravis said, just a little more sharply.

[skycrawlers.livejournal.com]

Mara's lower lip began trembling.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

Aravis sighed, kneeling so she was at eye level. "Mara Lucy, we only say no because we love you and want you to be safe."

[skycrawlers.livejournal.com]

"May I have a dagger instead?" Mara tried.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"When you're a little older. Perhaps when you're...eight, I'll teach you to use a dagger," Aravis said thoughtfully.

[skycrawlers.livejournal.com]

Mara reached out to hug her. "Thank you, Mama!"

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"...you're welcome," Aravis said, gingerly hugging her. That was...different.

[momslilassassin]

Ben was watching the whole thing, eyes wide. "You still don't get a lightsaber," he replied finally.

[skycrawlers.livejournal.com]

Mara pulled back from Aravis. Little hugs were okay. Being clingy just wasn't done in their family.

"I'll have a dagger," she pointed out. "The other children at court will be jealous."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"You are not to use it," Aravis told her, shaking her head. "Not without me or your father present."

[skycrawlers.livejournal.com]

"Even if someone is being aggravating?" Mara checked.

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Especially not then," Aravis told her.

[skycrawlers.livejournal.com]

Mara let out a sigh that was very Ben. "Very well."

[notqueenyet.livejournal.com]

"Excellent," Aravis said, smiling softly.