[August] August was still shaking slightly as she walked down the snowy sidewalk. In one hand, the baby carrier holding Ella. In the other, her phone.
Kora's own phone rang. It's caller ID identifying that it was August. She'd never called before.. thus, it was a bit of an odd thing.
[Kora's Cell] "Hello?" A woman's voice in her ear. The middle distance is nearly silent; the hush of rain in the background, falling against stone walls. "August?"
[August] "Hey Kora." A small sigh. "Yeah, it's me. Is this an ok time to talk? I wasn't going to bother you with this.. but it's gone over the line.."
[Kora's Cell] The sound she receives from the other end of the line is affirmative. Quiet. Maybe a bit distant, but made immediate by the method. There's the crackle of interference - something close to a bad connection.
"What's up?"
[August] "Drew.. who says she's one of your kin, showed up at my door last week. She informed me that you wanted me to move in with her, but she wasn't going for that plan, which is fine. However, then she informed me that my choice of housing was inappropriate and that I needed to move out. She even gave me classifieds for apartments. Where she got the sudden notion that -she- was in charge of where I lived is a little baffling."
"But that's not the worst of it. She then continued to berate me about my loyalties and how I can't stand on my own to feet and I need to stop turning to people not of my own tribe, such as you, or Aanon. I don't know where she gets off judging me. I'd never met her before she showed up on my door. She also questioned my parenting skills and told me I needed to live on my own because having people who weren't constants in my daughter's life was bad for me."
"It honestly felt like she was trying to chase me out of the city - to make me feel unwanted and inadequate. I was going to just.. let it go, until tonight. Rain and I were at a coffee shop, she came in - I was polite, but brief with her and she realized I was upset with her.. she then asked me to step outside; which I did hoping to clear it up."
August's voice waivered, as if she might cry, but is holding it back. "She yelled at me, called me a liablity, told me I was weighing the tribe down and that I can't support myself and that I'm just looking for charity. All of which are completely insulting.. especially since I never met her before the other night. That isn't even the worst - she pushed my last button when she told me that I should have used a condom and put her finger in my face." Her tone changed - clearly, she was upset by that.
"Do you know my story? Anyway.. Ella is a child of my first mate, who raped me.. and my second child was my second mates.. so it's not like I'm out sleeping with everyone. I admit that I overreacted and saw red when I grabbed her coat and shouted at her about just how wrong and hurtful that statement was. Sure, I called her a few names - but then she clocked me in the jaw! Drew is out of line. Well beyond out of line. I don't even think she's anywhere near the field anymore. Her behavior is inappropriate and I don't feel like I should have to stand for it just because I knew I could turn to you and Roman for shelter when my heat was out. Does needing heat for two days making me a liability to my tribe or an unfit mother?"
"Kora.. she's out of control. I can't fix this.."
[August] {Adds one bit}
"If Phoenix wouldn't have intervened.. I'm pretty sure she would have beaten the shit out of me.. would would easily risk my baby."
[Kora's Cell] The truth is: Kora listens throughout the whole of it. August is not present to see her reaction. There's silence on the other end of the line, profound and entire. The kinswoman will hear one single breath breathed out through the handset, then the Skald's sure voice cutting through the static.
"I am sorry, August," from a distance, the kinswoman can perhaps detect the rage that flares behind the words. Another pause, another breath, withheld, breathed out. A choking noise, quiet, like someone swallowing a snarl of rage. "Are you alright? And Ella?"
[August] August sniffs on the other end - it might be from the wind on her nose, or the threat of tears, it's hard to say. "Ella's fine. Rain was watching her during all of this. And I'm ok - she didn't hit very hard and most of her swings missed, luckily. She had no right to tell me to tell me I deserved all my problems."
Again, it always came back to: "She doesn't even know me.. so it's even more vicious and vindictive."
[Kora's Cell] "August," here Kora's voice cuts in, incisively. "I asked Drew to share space with you and your family. She wanted employment, and I wanted you closer, where Roman and I could be sure that you were safe. She refused. I did not ask her to approach you after that, and I apologize that she did this in my name. It was wrongly done. You are doing your duty by the Nation and you have to be strong in that, if nothing else. Strong for your daughter, and strong for the child you are carrying now.
"We need them; you understand that, I'm sure. They are the future of the Nation, and you have to be strong - now - for them. Drew is my responsibility. Her actions impinge on my honor, and she - and I - will make reparation for the insults done you. If I have to find a Forseti to discover the truth from her. Beyond that, remember that nothing she says has the power to harm you; don't let her words break off and poison you under the skin. You've been strong enough thus far to survive much; you can survive this, too."
[August] "Thank you, Kora." There was a small sigh of relief as her concerns were taken seriously. "I don't turn to you because I am unable to care for myself - I turn to you because I trust you and I respect you and you and Roman are the closest I have to True family."
"And I really appreciate that you and Roman wanted me somewhere closer and safe and I can work on finding somewhere closer." Even her voice was more relaxed after speaking with her.. she seemed calmer, more at ease.. less likely to have an emotional breakdown which could jepordize the baby. Yes, things seemed better now.
[Kora's Cell] "You do not need to explain yourself to me, August. We'll talk again soon."
Kora's own phone rang. It's caller ID identifying that it was August. She'd never called before.. thus, it was a bit of an odd thing.
[Kora's Cell] "Hello?" A woman's voice in her ear. The middle distance is nearly silent; the hush of rain in the background, falling against stone walls. "August?"
[August] "Hey Kora." A small sigh. "Yeah, it's me. Is this an ok time to talk? I wasn't going to bother you with this.. but it's gone over the line.."
[Kora's Cell] The sound she receives from the other end of the line is affirmative. Quiet. Maybe a bit distant, but made immediate by the method. There's the crackle of interference - something close to a bad connection.
"What's up?"
[August] "Drew.. who says she's one of your kin, showed up at my door last week. She informed me that you wanted me to move in with her, but she wasn't going for that plan, which is fine. However, then she informed me that my choice of housing was inappropriate and that I needed to move out. She even gave me classifieds for apartments. Where she got the sudden notion that -she- was in charge of where I lived is a little baffling."
"But that's not the worst of it. She then continued to berate me about my loyalties and how I can't stand on my own to feet and I need to stop turning to people not of my own tribe, such as you, or Aanon. I don't know where she gets off judging me. I'd never met her before she showed up on my door. She also questioned my parenting skills and told me I needed to live on my own because having people who weren't constants in my daughter's life was bad for me."
"It honestly felt like she was trying to chase me out of the city - to make me feel unwanted and inadequate. I was going to just.. let it go, until tonight. Rain and I were at a coffee shop, she came in - I was polite, but brief with her and she realized I was upset with her.. she then asked me to step outside; which I did hoping to clear it up."
August's voice waivered, as if she might cry, but is holding it back. "She yelled at me, called me a liablity, told me I was weighing the tribe down and that I can't support myself and that I'm just looking for charity. All of which are completely insulting.. especially since I never met her before the other night. That isn't even the worst - she pushed my last button when she told me that I should have used a condom and put her finger in my face." Her tone changed - clearly, she was upset by that.
"Do you know my story? Anyway.. Ella is a child of my first mate, who raped me.. and my second child was my second mates.. so it's not like I'm out sleeping with everyone. I admit that I overreacted and saw red when I grabbed her coat and shouted at her about just how wrong and hurtful that statement was. Sure, I called her a few names - but then she clocked me in the jaw! Drew is out of line. Well beyond out of line. I don't even think she's anywhere near the field anymore. Her behavior is inappropriate and I don't feel like I should have to stand for it just because I knew I could turn to you and Roman for shelter when my heat was out. Does needing heat for two days making me a liability to my tribe or an unfit mother?"
"Kora.. she's out of control. I can't fix this.."
[August] {Adds one bit}
"If Phoenix wouldn't have intervened.. I'm pretty sure she would have beaten the shit out of me.. would would easily risk my baby."
[Kora's Cell] The truth is: Kora listens throughout the whole of it. August is not present to see her reaction. There's silence on the other end of the line, profound and entire. The kinswoman will hear one single breath breathed out through the handset, then the Skald's sure voice cutting through the static.
"I am sorry, August," from a distance, the kinswoman can perhaps detect the rage that flares behind the words. Another pause, another breath, withheld, breathed out. A choking noise, quiet, like someone swallowing a snarl of rage. "Are you alright? And Ella?"
[August] August sniffs on the other end - it might be from the wind on her nose, or the threat of tears, it's hard to say. "Ella's fine. Rain was watching her during all of this. And I'm ok - she didn't hit very hard and most of her swings missed, luckily. She had no right to tell me to tell me I deserved all my problems."
Again, it always came back to: "She doesn't even know me.. so it's even more vicious and vindictive."
[Kora's Cell] "August," here Kora's voice cuts in, incisively. "I asked Drew to share space with you and your family. She wanted employment, and I wanted you closer, where Roman and I could be sure that you were safe. She refused. I did not ask her to approach you after that, and I apologize that she did this in my name. It was wrongly done. You are doing your duty by the Nation and you have to be strong in that, if nothing else. Strong for your daughter, and strong for the child you are carrying now.
"We need them; you understand that, I'm sure. They are the future of the Nation, and you have to be strong - now - for them. Drew is my responsibility. Her actions impinge on my honor, and she - and I - will make reparation for the insults done you. If I have to find a Forseti to discover the truth from her. Beyond that, remember that nothing she says has the power to harm you; don't let her words break off and poison you under the skin. You've been strong enough thus far to survive much; you can survive this, too."
[August] "Thank you, Kora." There was a small sigh of relief as her concerns were taken seriously. "I don't turn to you because I am unable to care for myself - I turn to you because I trust you and I respect you and you and Roman are the closest I have to True family."
"And I really appreciate that you and Roman wanted me somewhere closer and safe and I can work on finding somewhere closer." Even her voice was more relaxed after speaking with her.. she seemed calmer, more at ease.. less likely to have an emotional breakdown which could jepordize the baby. Yes, things seemed better now.
[Kora's Cell] "You do not need to explain yourself to me, August. We'll talk again soon."
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