Chapter 1: Sleep

[Faith Augustin]

1st Cylus, 717

"Alright, so Chapter 1 is about sleeping," she said, with a smile. "The baby, not us. Although it does say some stuff about us, too. I heard it." She still couldn't actually get to reading the book on child care herself, but she could listen to him read it and so, that was what they were doing. Sitting on the chair in their room at the Order of the Adunih, her hand rested on her swollen stomach, Faith looked at him with as much calmness as she could muster. "Chapter 1 tells us that it will sleep a lot. Oh, well I wish it would sleep now. Stop it!" She poked back at her stomach where a small footprint appeared, pushing it back. "It sleeps a lot and rocking helps. So, some people buy cradles which you can rock. Shall we make that one that does?" She looked at him and a frown creased her forehead. It was a thought process which she needed to get clear in her head and, when she had she could formulate the question.

"You said at least four times that we should, or I should specifically, sleep when the baby does. I don't think I can sleep that much, Padraig?" She truly had no idea about any of this but she was doing her best. Earlier that morning they had gone out together and bought the materials needed for them to make the cradle together and Faith had also bought yarn and fabric. With serious grey eyes she had told him that, if nothing else, this was going to be the warmest, cleanest and best clothed baby on Idalos. Although she didn't say the next bit, she thought that at least making clothes and blankets and so on was something that she could actually do.

With the cradle, though, she also had thoughts and she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Standing up from the chair where she had sat, or more precisely hoisting herself up, she moved over to the magic bag which contained the things they'd bought. Lifting it onto the desk she started pulling things out, putting the wood and parchment and ruler on to the desk whereas she stored the wool and fabric in the bag. "Grab the carpenter's kit, would you?" That was stored over in the corner and as she put the things out, she frowned slightly.

"Padraig? What are we going to call it? I mean..." Faith frowned and stopped, holding a piece of wood like she was brandishing a weapon. "I mean, we'll need to name it but if we're a family, then doesn't it need a family name? I don't have one, I didn't even have a first name until Jamal told me my name was Faith. I haven't been Faith for two arcs yet. But don't you have a family name? It should have a name, shouldn't it?" It was a genuine question, because Faith really didn't understand the whole family name thing beyond the Venoras, Warricks and Kromes of Andaris. Lady Elyna was Elyna Burhan. Did Aeon have a family name? She didn't know. "I should know this, I'm sorry. I'm carrying your child and asking you what your family name is. I am most definitely a loose woman of poor morals." Would that she could even look like she was joking as she said that, though she did her best to. "But either way, we'll need a first name, won't we? Do you have any thoughts? Names you like particularly?"

Breathing in, she pushed the parchment over to him. "So. Design a cradle?" She took a piece herself and lowered her head to do a rough sketch. "We should think about height. I mean, I'm nearly a foot shorter than you, so it needs to not be something I can't reach or something you're going to put your back out over. How are we going to keep the cat out of it?" Her mind was fluttering from one thing to another, jumping about but always returning to the bottom line. She was having a baby and it needed to sleep.

Off Topic

Deductions are:
1 x ruler: 5sn
Sheaf of paper: 2gn (total 2gn 5sn)
Wood: 20gn (total 22gn 5sn)
11 x balls of yarn: 5gn (total 28gn)
5 yds x woolen fabric: 10gn (total 38gn)
10 yds x cotton: 15gn (total 53gn)

[Padraig]

So, sleeping. Pad wondered if those times when the baby slept might be one of the, well, possibly the most peaceful part of what was to come. Still, there was some logic to Faith's question and seated in his chair, Padraig gave it some frowning consideration. "Well," he offered up as a possibility. "Maybe it means that they sleep at odd breaks. Or on the other hand, maybe they're exhausting when they're awake and you'll want the extra sleep?" Possibly both, he thought.

And why not a cradle that rocked? Surely it was something they could buy, already made. But they had the wherewithal to build one themselves. And they certainly had sufficient time on their hands. "We should," he agreed. "We might even make one that works better than any store bought one." And he'd brought home a bundle, wrapped round a handful of items that might be used to build just about anything. A cradle ought not be too large a challenge.

The carpenter's kit found it's way to the table without much trouble, though just as he took out a pen and a piece of parchment to draw on, he stopped to consider her question. A name? They hadn't even considered it to now he realized. And not just a given name either. "I do," he said when she asked about a family name. Or well, sort of. "I never knew my father's name. Not sure my mother did either," he explained. "But my grandfather, Cy, his surname is Augustin, so it's mine too I guess. I think he'd be pleased, come to think of it," Padraig added with a smile.

It had been important to Cy, as he remembered it, to see his family line continue. It was one of the reasons he'd been disappointed to have only had a daughter. "Shall we use Augustin then?" As for the first name? "I don't know, really. Like you say, it ought be a name they won't resent us for. But whatever we choose, something strong, independent, meaningful," he suggested.

Now, this cradle business, he thought, turning to pick up the pen and dip it into the ink pot. So far as keeping the cat out, he wasn't sure. "Some sort of light, transparent and breathable fabric we could drape over it? Now when I think of a cradle, I envision those short, squat things that you have to bend over to use. They're low to the ground, as wide as they are tall, so when they rock there's no risk of them tipping over."

But a taller one that they could more easily access and one that would raise the baby farther off the floor, would by design need to be narrower than it was tall, he explained. Therefore, a rocker built into the base of the thing would create a real problem by raising the center of gravity too high, and risk tipping over. "So, we need to consider other options. Instead of putting rockers on the bottom, we'd need to build the frame, and then build the cradle into it, mounted in a way that would allow it to move independently."

The base wold also need be designed in such a way that the thing didn't end up being top heavy. In that case, they could devise a way to make the cradle section actually rock on its axis. Or instead, they could cause it to swing instead, which wold be a simpler design. So there was a question to answer before they proceeded. "Rocking, or swinging?" he asked.

[Faith Augustin]

Or, she considered, when he put forward two reasons why she might sleep more after the baby, it was both of those things. She appreciated the use of the word 'or', but she suspected that 'and' might be more appropriate. Still, no point worrying about it now, there was no need to fuss over what they didn't know. Except for the fact that what they didn't know was, to put it mildly, a lot. Small steps, she reminded herself as she felt her heart rate start to quicken.

Augustin? Faith considered it and smiled. "It's a good name. I like it. Yes, lets use it. You're sure your grandfather won't mind?" When he said that his grandfather would be pleased, she looked relieved and delighted all together. It was his name and it would be the baby's name and that worked as far as she was concerned. As for a first name, Faith shrugged. "Would you like to use any of your family names? LIke Cy or whatever your mother's name is, or grandmother's name was. I don't really know many names. Do they have books of them?" All the ills of the world could be solved by books, she was sure.

He talking about bases, sizes and she followed along. "Well, I'm not sure. I can't imagine that the baby will be able to tell the difference, and it's the motion that soothes it, so lets go for swinging if that's easier in terms of the height?" She looked at him and there was no doubting that she was slightly embarrased by the next words out of her mouth. "Padraig? When I'm picturing this, it's beautiful. Like, it has white brocade, and the top of it is a sort of canopy, kind of thing, with white lace and there might even be some slight frills." There was a genuine expression of peturbed on her face. "I can make those things, but do you think this is some kind of strange pregnancy thing which will pass? Like a craving? But I'm craving pretty? I wouldn't want to land the baby with something utterly twee because it's mother had a moment of pregnancy crazy."

Another consideration, though, as her mind flitted again and she tapped the parchment, "If we do it so that the bit that the baby actually sleeps in comes off, then it makes it easier to clean, too. Also, if the bottom of that bit, the cradle itself, was flat, then if we're staying out somewhere, we could bring it with us easier, just without the frame which means it swings?" Faith was, by nature and training, an organiser and so she was trying to think through contingencies. "If we made it bed height, then we'll be able to see it when we're in bed. If we are all sleeping on the same level, that means less need to get up and down and also, we can just attach a string to a bit of it and tug to swing it?" Or, even, she wondered aloud, could they make it so that one of the sides was able to drop down, so long as the baby couldn't do it of course, so that they could access the child from the laying down position of a good, comfortable bed. "If I'm going to be sleeping all this time, apparently, we're going to have to think about bed accessibility, aren't we?" Serious silver eyes considered him and no, there was not one bit of her that was joking.

[Padraig]

"My grandfather won't mind," Padraig reassured her when she asked. "Besides, my mother wasn't married when I was born, her surname is, was, also Augustin so it makes good sense. Her name is Etta. But if it's a girl, I'd rather not." Apparently there were, maybe, a few unresolved feelings there. But if there were he'd rather not discuss it. "What about Rose then? I think it was my grandmother's name though I never knew her."

As for a boy, he considered Cy, but then decided they might find another more to their liking. "I'm sure there are books, lists of names," he added with a smile. "Maybe the Order's even got some on the shelves." So, a swinging cradle it was. The less complicated the design, the better. Padraig was no engineer after all. "Frills?" he asked, looking aside with a grin while he worked. Neither of them had a usual liking for frills. Funny what impending parenthood could do to one's thinking.

"It might pass," he teased. "Or it might not. Either way, it sounds wonderful and we'll have the best turned out baby in the land. So, the cradle needs to be long and wide enough to allow for the child to grow into it. And the sides high enough that it can't rise up and topple out. Slats instead of paneled sides, so that we can see in, in can see out, but not stick its head through."

They could fit a pad or mattress in the bottom, he suggested. One that could come out for easy cleaning. A flat, solid bottom, that got added into the drawing, and one side that would lift up and fold down to make it easier to remove the child or access it from a seated position or while laying down.

"Accessibility," he explained. And lastly, the raised ends of the cradle would have pegs of sorts that were fitted into the wood, that would in turn rest like axles into part of the frame, raised at that end. With a wooden lever to hold the thing fast while allowing free movement.

Lastly he'd draw in a wooden doughnut shaped piece on the bottom of the cradle, with a silken chord hanging down that could be taken in hand and pulled to get the cradle rocking. "What about this?" he asked. "Anything else?"

[Faith Augustin]

Faith glanced at him when he said he'd rather not name the child after his mother. She said nothing, though, because at the end of the trial she couldn't blame him. Why would he want to name the child after someone who had never once sought him out after abandoning him? The name Rose, though, that brought a smile to her face. "Rose Augustin? I like that, it's pretty. Roses are beautiful, but prickly, too. Defend themselves and take no nonsense flowers. Rose, then." A boy's name was more difficult but he said that there were books. She'd have a look, she reassured him, or herself, at the books available to them at the Order.

He teased her about the frills as she had known he would and she shot a grin at him. "You best hope I don't start getting the urge to put ruffles in your shirts. Quite the fashion in Andaris you know." Faith raised an eyebrow and looked at him appraisingly. "You'd suit a ruffed collar, you know. Very silly, they are." She nodded at his suggestions though, about the crib; tall enough, wide enough, visibility but not so much that heads could get stuck. All of these things made sense.

She looked at the design and beamed in delight. "It's beautiful. Really. We can make this, you know. Then I can make pretty things and frills. Detachable frills, though, in case it's a pregnancy craving." Taking his hand she pulled herself up and started over to the wood. "Alright, lets get it measured out, then we can turn that diagram into a series of pieces of wood. We need to explode it, really." She made a gesture with her hand, opening up her closed fist to a splayed hand. "Drawing each of the pieces, checking the measurements and stuff. Four sides and a bottom for the cradle. Two sides and a base for the frame. I'll explode the cradle, you the base?"

Measure it, measure it again and then measure a third time was her way of working and she did that, coming up with a list of pieces that they needed. Then, she explained, they could get to matching pieces of wood to which finished piece, or pieces, they were going to be. In that she was meticulous and worked as much to make sure that she was absolutely efficient on the use of the wood as to ensure that they were accurate. Each piece was labelled and numbered and, if more than one piece was going to come from the same piece of wood, she drew a diagram of how to cut the pieces, then she slid it across to him to check, made any adjustments and got started on the cutting.

"Cut them, sand them then connect." Expanded middle or not, Faith had a small line of concentration and focus which creased her forehead when she worked and it was evident now. "It's important that we label them, some of these will look very similar but have very small differences in measurement which could really scupper us if... what?" Stopping, the frown on her face disappeared and she smiled. "If I had a grandmother, I'd draw her a diagram for how to suck eggs. I'm sorry. How are you doing over there?" Faith's expression was somewhat apologetic as she lowered her head back to the parchment and got on with it; somewhat apologetic and mostly amused.

[Padraig]

"Rose," Padraig repeated, trying the name on for size once again. "I like it." If the babe was a girl, that was. But then he shook his head, and looked her way with a lift of his brow. "But a ruffles for me, I think not. Andaris can keep their ridiculous trends." He couldn't imagine he'd look good in the things, and ruffles, especially on the sleeves would get in the way of his work.

"I'm not sure a boy will appreciate the frills, once he's old enough to object." But it hardly mattered now, as the pleasure their planning gave her, was all that mattered. It was a nice break, away from an array of more worrisome concerns. Let her make ruffles and frilly things then. Each section of the planned crib took precise measuring, and there were a lot of them. It would require more than one sheet of paper too.

But eventually, once their plans were drawn, gone over, adjusted and drawn again, they were both happy with what they had done. And were ready to build. "I'm doing just fine," he told her, grinning as he labeled the pieces of wood after she cut them. And once they were all cut and the rough edges sanded away, it appeared they were ready to actually put the thing together. Which was a quick enough process, considering that most of the real work had been done before the actual putting together began.

That wouldn't take long, and only required following the plan and taking care with the process. But as much as Padraig believed the distraction was good for them both, he wasn't convinced that all this exertion was. At least not for her. With all the pieces laid out in front of him, hammer and nails and sanding paper at hand, he pointed towards the chair and smiled. "How about you sit, rest, and supervise while I do this?" he suggested. And while she looked on, he put the crib together, to be stored in a corner until such a time as the child arrived and needed it.

[Avrae Kyric]

A Review by Summer Rain

Name: Faith

Knowledge: (14)
Carpentry: A Swinging Cradle is a Simpler Design Than a Rocking One
Carpentry: Measure, Measure, and Measure Again
Carpentry: Putting Accessibility and Convenience into the Design of a Crib
Carpentry: Sanding the Wood
Carpentry: The Dimensions of the Item Matter
Childcare: Keep Your Child Within View
Childcare: Making Sure You're Child is Easily Reached, in Case of Emergency
Childcare: Rocking a Baby Helps Them Sleep
Childcare: Sleep When the Baby Sleeps
Childcare: The Desire to Decorate a Baby's Crib
Childcare: Watching Out for Child Hazards
Padraig: His Grandfather was Cy, His Mother was Etta
Padraig: His Surname is Augustin
Rose Augustin: The Name of Your Daughter

Loot: One Crib, Handmade, Shared with Padraig. Thank you for deducting the prices from your Ledger.
Injuries: N/A
Fame: N/A
Devotion: N/A

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure: 5/5
Magic: These points may NOT be used for Arcana.
Name: Padraig

Knowledge: (16)
Carpentry: A Swinging Cradle is a Simpler Design Than a Rocking One
Carpentry: Measure, Measure, and Measure Again
Carpentry: Putting Accessibility and Convenience into the Design of a Crib
Carpentry: Sanding the Wood
Carpentry: The Dimensions of the Item Matter
Childcare: Keep Your Child Within View
Childcare: Making Sure You're Child is Easily Reached, in Case of Emergency
Childcare: Rocking a Baby Helps Them Sleep
Childcare: Sleep When the Baby Sleeps
Childcare: Watching Out for Child Hazards
Faith: Is a Hardworking, Meticulous Person
Faith: Thinks Logically About Things
Faith: Worries About Your Child's Name
Faith: You Care About Making Her Happy
Personal: Unresolved Feelings With Your Mother
Rose Augustin: The Name of Your Daughter

Loot: One Crib, Handmade, Shared with Faith.
Injuries: N/A
Fame: N/A
Devotion: N/A

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure: 5/5
Magic: These points may NOT be used for Arcana.
Comment: Hey Faith, hey Padraig. <3 I absolutely loved this thread. It was bitter sweet to see them trying to prepare for a baby- even naming it- when knowing what ultimately happens. Tore my heart right out. I found a lot in this thread, and it was a very enjoyable read. Many of the knowledges I gave to both of you because you were learning together. Faith and Padraig are very much a team. I hope to review you both again in the future!

If you have any questions or comments, don't be afraid to shoot me a PM. <3