milliways_bar | (no subject)

Current Mood: good

(no subject)

It's a guitarist with a baby in a booth, having tummy time.

"Oh yeah? And then what happened?"

Tiny voice speaking nonsense syllables, mostly vowels.

"You showed 'em! Tell me more."

More vowels and a little squeak.

Charlie laughs. "Aren't you clever, Peanut. And droolly. Decidedly droolly."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Moiraine!" He grins at her widely. "How are you this evening? Have you met Seth?"

I am well, at present.

*She smiles down at the baby.*

I have met him briefly last night, with Mike, at Indy's party; but it is good to see him, and you, in a calmer environment.

How are matters with you?

"They're better.

"Would you like to hold him? He's pretty mellow."

*Moiraine hesitates, unexpectedly, and an odd expression crosses her face.*

I am afraid that I am not very good with small children, Charlie.

"You'd be surprised how often I hear that," Charlie says, amused.

Perhaps I might not be surprised, at that.

*Her tone is very slightly dry, but Moiraine makes a gesture indicating her willingness to attempt it, at least.*

"Here--" He places Seth carefully in Moiraine's arms. "Just don't let his head flop--there you go." He keeps a finger in Seth's fist. "He knows he's safe."

*She holds him very gingerly, and then with slowly growing confidence as he does not shriek or spit up or any of the other things babies do. Moiraine studies Seth, then looks up at Charlie.*

He is a lovely child.

"We'll keep him," Charlie says with a grin, and kisses Seth's hand.

Seth just blinks at her with long, thick lashes, enveloped in her serenity. He sighs in contentment.

*She shifts his weight slightly in her arms, and gracefully takes a seat in a chair nearby.*

There have been no further difficulties, I trust?

"None. The Fates decided to give us a break, I hope."

~~Omniscient Narrator wibbles.~~

Light send that it may continue to be so, then.

*Moiraine smiles down at the baby, then back at Charlie.*

He is very small, to have had such an effect on so many.

Charlie taks a breath and slowly lets it out. "Well. I told you about the visions and such, didn't I? He's going to do something with his life--something grand, I hope.

"We just have to see he grows up proper."

*Moiraine nods slowly.*

You did. *After a long moment, she continues,* I am not unfamiliar, as it happens, with a vision of an infant's future having an effect on the fate of a world.

Or with becoming devoted to a cause as a result.

"I haven't had any visions, myself," Charlie says quietly.

"What happened? Did you see the vision fulfilled?"

I did not have the vision, Charlie -- I do not have the gift of Foretelling.

*Moiraine looks down at Seth, rocking him slightly.*

I, along with a close friend, was present when it happened, however. The seer died of it.

But yes, it was a true seeing.

"Jesus," Charlie murmurs. "Never heard of anything like that.

"A true seeing--it came true. Was it . . . was it good that it came true?"

*Moiraine shrugs very slightly.*

There have long been prophecies in my world, Charlie, telling of the return of the one destined to play the key role in the Last Battle against the Shadow.

The Foretelling was of his birth. I devoted my life to seeking him, in order to see him prepared to stand against the Dark One.

Good? I cannot say that -- my world will be shattered by the war that is even now underway. I might have preferred to live in more peaceful times. But it has come, and so I will do what I can to see that the Shadow is defeated.

"Maybe peace will come after," Charlie muses and kisses Seth's hand again. "We can hope, at least."

He smiles faintly at Moiraine. "There's a--a curse, I've heard, on my world: 'May you live in interesting times.'"

An apt curse indeed. *Her tone is faintly rueful.*

But there may be hope; the Wheel weaves. All that can be done, will be.

*Seth appears to be very nearly, or possibly fully asleep.*

"I can take him whenever your arms get tired.

"I just wish I knew more about what's in store for him. Part of me wants to just, you know, wrap him up and keep him here where he'll be safe--" He shakes his head at himself. "But whatever his purpose it I doubt it's just here." He strokes Seth's head with his palm.

*An oddly wistful look crosses her face for a moment and then is gone.*

Whenever you need to take him, Charlie, then do; it appears that his bedtime is clearly near.

Whatever is meant for him will be revealed in time, perhaps.

"His bedtime is about every two hours," Charlie says with a grin.

"I'm sure it will be. Still scares me."

You are right to be wary, Charlie, given what you have told me about the events surrounding his birth and of late.

*Her tone is calm, and she studies him carefully as the child sleeps in her arms.*

But do not let it poison your life.

"Yeah," Charlie murmurs. He doesn't speak for some minutes, fingers moving softly through Seth's sparse hair.

"The way that I think of it," he says finally, "is that I have to teach him how to be a good man. That's my job. Everything else, God only knows. I just have to make sure he's a good man."