February
27, 2004
“Ulisa,” I said
through the communicator now completely exhausted, “I have some bad news for
you,”
Ulisa answered
swiftly, "What now? You sound awful!"
"I've not only been up with four sick
children all night, but my twins are also sick," I told her with two sets
of screaming lungs pierced through the air, " I haven't been to bed since
the day before,
Ulisa nodded, "I'm
coming
Okay, I told her
kind of shouting over the screams
Ulisa arrived
quickly, rushing past Selena and towards the babies
"Here take one
of them, I said from where I had been pacing back and forth for the last couple
hours,
"Oh great"
I said hiding a yawn, Joy's in with the four at the moment, I told her I would
switch with her shortly
Tanni's keeping the
rest busy upstairs
"Oh great"
I said hiding a yawn, Joy's in with the four at the moment, I told her I would
switch with her shortly
Tanni's keeping the
rest busy upstairs Ulisa looked right at her, took the other baby and said,
"You're doing nothing like that. You need to sleep...I'll handle this I
stared at her stunned, "but they ... don't you need my help? She shook her
head, "no...You go back to my place. My kids'll help you. I can handle
this...now go"
I nodded in
agreement, "Oh to warn you as a heads up just in case you're wondering,
Darcy's in her room again
Ulisa nodded,
"I can handle her."
After several hours of rest I came back in,
"How's everyone doing?" I asked looking at one of the children
Ulisa nodded,
"they're doing well. Darcy got in one of her moods again but since I took
that sword to her, she's been the definition of helpful. I gave the twins some
herbs and they're sleeping now. I gave Kenya and the triplets another doze of
that fever reducer and they're asleep now. I got called to Ursalia a bit, not
for anything bad but Timmy for some reason wanted to be kept up to date. I told
him and convinced him I could handle it. Buddi looked kinda bad but he seems
okay, health wise. He and Timmy ran off playing. I came back and played a few
games with your kids and dinner should be ready in about five minutes
What? Wow! I have no
idea what to say, amazing have I actually been out that long?
Ulisa chuckled, "About 8 hours, I told my
kids after you went to sleep to make sure you slept at least that long
"Everyone else
behave?"
Whoa” Ulisa nodded,
"we had a few scuffs at first but that soon stopped."
Just then Skyla came
running in, "Mamma where you go, I want you." I picked my daughter up
and spoke, "I had to go take a break for a bit, Sunshine\." "Oh
you better now?" I nodded and put her back down and took off again.
"I see at least
it was nothing major. I said asking if Ulisa was staying for dinner
Ulisa chuckled,
"I can if you want. Faith can handle dinner for mine...she loves to cook
anyway
I nodded please stay
you've earned it. I couldn't do more then to do that and offer to let you rest
for a bit
Ulisa nodded,
"Offer accepted then"
I nodded back as the
front door opened, we both turned,
"Timmy what are
you doing here?" "My sister's sick I'm here to take care of her"
I looked at Ulisa as
I chuckled a bit
Ulisa chuckled,
"She's fine Timmy. It's just a mild case."
"Where is
she?" "Timmy there's no need to worry, Son, she's fine, but I don't
want you in there, you'll catch it." He glanced at me a second, I noticed
a fear in his eyes. And called him over to me, and pulled him to my lap,
"What's wrong? There's more to this then just her being sick isn't
there?" He nodded
Ulisa knelt down by
Timmy, "We've been taking care of your sister, Timmy. She's already
starting to get better. She'll probably be driving everyone nuts again within
two days
He whimpered
"In my old clan if one got sick they killed you." he told us. I held
him tighter, "Timmy were not going to do anything like that, were going to
help her nothing more."
Ulisa nodded,
"On my Barbic blood, Timmy"
He nodded
understanding that he nodded, tears still sitting in his eyes. I turned him so
he could face me. "You can cry if you want, Son." He looked at me for
a moment, before asking, "Really I am?"
Ulisa smiled at him
"But won't I be
weak?" "No you're not weak for
showing a few tears; actually you're pretty strong if you do." I told him,
he looked Ulisa asking her with his eyes
Ulisa nodded,
"Even Barbics cry at times Timmy...it isn't wrong
Really, my old
leader would beat us until we cried no more
Ulisa shook her
head, "Then he was the weak one Timmy"
Timmy sighed and
lifted his shirt up, and showed us several deep scarred gashes that were all
over his back imbedded as part of his back now healed though. It had been the
first time I had seen them
I'm not sure yet
Ulisa gasped,
"Timmy...do you want us to try and patch some of those up? We can probably
heal some of them
"I don't even
feel them anymore, they don't hurt they did when they did it, it was for
crying. Kenni has a bunch somewhere else
Ulisa shook her
head, "you don't deserve any of these...don't ever think you do"
Timmy looked to me,
and spoke, "He said only the weak cry and that if I did that I must be
weak and that the next time he'd kill me, and Timmy showed us a stale scar that
was across his neck
Ulisa knelt down in front of Timmy,
"Timmy, that's all a lie. On the contrary, those that cry are stronger
than those that don't. They feel the pain of emotions and they survive them, they're
better for it
Really?"
"She means what she says Timmy." I told him kissing his cheek, as he buried
his face into me. "That's it little one you just let yourself do this."Mamma,
I forgot to tell Ursa I was leaving." "Don't worry I'll head that way
myself and tell her where you are." I told him but for right now you just
sit here this way and not worry about a thing
Ulisa smiled at
Timmy and spoke to Timmy in Barbic, "<Timmy, do you know what my father
and grandmother used to tell me, about being tough? About being Barbic?>"
I looked to Ulisa and asked with my eyes if I
should find out where Kenya's are I hadn't seen them
: "what?"
: Ulisa gave a nod
but made a "later" motion
That's fine."
: "<A
warrior is not measured by the size of their strength but by the strength of
their heart.>"
: "Really, that's
true?
: *ok*
: She nodded,
"Yes...Barbics who feel love and let their emotions emerge are truly
stronger. They will face unspeakable pain and danger for one another where a
Barbic like what you're saying would never risk such a thing."
: The child just buried
his head deeper as he just let himself sob
: Ulisa smiled at
Selena and rose to go check on the cubs
: "no Mamma I
want you to stay here," I was stunned it was the first time he ever felt
like calling me that. I handed him to Ulisa, "I'll be right back, Timmy
then we can talk a bit more." He nodded
: Ulisa cradled
Timmy and just rubbed through his hair
: "They're all
sleeping still." I told her as I reached my arms out for my son, he
climbed in and curled into me as an infant would, and I looked to Ulisa not
knowing what to do
She just smiled, in
answer
He soon cried
himself to sleep in my arms. "That was the first time he had ever called
me Mamma. He's never called me anything but Ma'am really and that was on occasion.
Ulisa I hurt for all these little ones have gone through. And the pain that
they haven't told me that's there
is
Ulisa nodded,
"I know...pain is always harsh...always. And most people have reasons for
not telling." She looked right into Selena's eyes. "Trust me...I know
I know I mean I have
some myself. Ulisa that have not yet been told
Ulisa blinked,
"as do I...'
"Let me go lay
him down first he's not exactly light
Then we can talk
Ulisa nodded
silently
When I came back
Tanni had already sent in to getting the food set out, as well at the table
set. "I guess we'll talk after the children are finished in here
Ulisa nodded, calmly
Watch out there's
going to be a stampede in about three seconds, I told her, Might want to get
your plate now before they come flying in
Ulisa chuckled and
did as she recommended and then stood to the side
Sure enough several kids came flying into the
room and getting what they needed, "Would you like to eat some where a
little more peaceful?" I asked
Ulisa chuckled,
"if you want:
I nodded and headed
to where the two of us could talk and eat in peace. "Actually it's pretty
quiet in there at the moment." as I said that you could hear the children
clear a crossed the house
Ulisa chuckled,
"I believe it"
Well there's like 8
less then normal here at the moment
Ulisa nodded in
answer
I know I'm going to
start loosing count here soon
Ulisa just chuckled,
"eh, you won't
True
Ulisa just smiled
and followed her
This is the spare
dinning hall the children don't really know its here I told her my own little
getaway
Well, with so many
kids, you need one...I have my own
Watch this, look at that mirror, I turned out
the lights and you could see the children that were in the kitchen "and
they don't even know your watching they can't see you"
Probably a good
thing
Yeah and it's the
best way to catch that the cookie thief in action as well
Ulisa chuckled,
"don't I know that..."
Whys that
You bet and you know
they all try to lie to get out its funny really
Ulisa nodded,
"Mine admit it."
Mine don’t most the time like what was Sky's
one day, she said the purple giant came in and got them
Ulisa just chuckled
again..."Most of my kids hate to lie...they always try to be on their best
behavior. So, it's nice to help you out. It's a challenge
Really?
She nodded
Just wait until Elliot
comes back; he's the wildest of the group
Ulisa chuckled;
"I bet Plucki's getting a wake up call." she took a bite of the meal
but said no more
I bet so myself, I
have already been called back at least once for bad behavior
Nodded
He crossed the
timeline without permission and got a snake and it bit Cubbi and about killed
him
Ulisa whistled,
"Cottonmouth?"
Yeah, how did you
know that one?
Cubbi's my uncle
Whoa so in a way
that means you're related to three of my cubs?
She nodded,
"Yes
So I guess in a way
were family?
She chuckled,
"yes...we are family just as friends, if not by blood."
True and that might
be a good thing
Ulisa just blinked
and just said, "My mother's Sunni and Buddi's my father"
Whoa! That's amazing
I set my plate down
and listened
I was born in 1381.
I left the past in 1666
Why'd you leave? If
I may ask?"
Ulisa rolled up her
tunic, revealing a long slash across her lower abdomen. "I have 6 children
by blood. They had all been grown for about 50 years so my mate Garu and I were
trying for more. I was doing a routine patrol around Ursalia when I was
ambushed by trolls. I called for help and saw my mate rush towards me...then
one of the trolls got me with a spear. I woke up in sickbay. My grandmother told
me that they had come and managed to fight the trolls off...but my mate was
dead. And also that I had lost the two identical twins I was carrying...and
that I would never again bear children. The memories were too harsh
I'm horribly sorry.
I understand that leaving was the best thing, now just to start over.
She smiled, "I
started helping as many children as I could here. I still go back occasionally,
for like a week but I can't live there...maybe sometime in the far future, I
might be able to go back...but not yet
I know what you mean
I never could go back to my real home either only I couldn't visit either
"what, why...I
_I_ can ask...'
I had watched humans
kill my parents in front of me by humans they burned them alive
Oh, I'm so
sorry..." she held Selena's hands in hers
They got me a little
but I managed to run, but I still got a burned some, but not a lot, I rolled up
my shirt and I showed her a bare patch were the fur had been burned off
Oh, you poor
thing...so you got all these children to have a family of your own?
I was four and had
lived on my own since then; I found this place around that time, and when I was
ten built this thing
At ten...impressive
Well the first part
by myself and started the farm
You've done well'
And was alone except
the animals until I seen Sky sitting in that window with those dangerous eyes
of her
Ulisa chuckled,
"all cubs have those eyes to some degree I think...but you can blame my
uncle for hers
Oh I do
Ulisa chuckled and took another bite,
finishing up and yes I have all these children so I can have my own family and
let me tell you the more the merrier around here nothings ever dull.
However," Ulisa
gave Selena a puppy dog look of her own, perfected by years of practice and the
patch on her eye "you can thank my father for mine:
I'll do that
sometime
Ulisa just chuckled
and stood up, "Thanks for letting me stay but if I know my kids, they'll want
Fycan to tell the nighttime story soon
I understand that
one mine will be wanting me as well pretty soon and the sick ones need me,
thanks again
It's not a problem. Good luck and if ya need
me again, just call
Oh trust me I will
I know you
will" she winked and slowly walked out the door. Waving a final time, she
stepped through the portal
See ya later