[voice]

[purewhite]

[It's been a few days.

A few days time has not healed the hurt that this has given her. But if no one else knows, then... someone has to say it, if Cecil had not told them first.

Who better than his mother? Rosa can only imagine the future, and actually watching Ceodore grow up, instead of being near her own age. Just thinking about this has the tears gathering once more. The audio feed is silent, save for the sound of someone trying to hold back sobs and sniffles.]

For...


[...ok, try this again.]

For those who might not know, but knew him, my son-- [there's a catch in her breath, and then silence for a few moments--] My son, Ceodore has... he's gone home.

[The feed will cut off here.]

Comments

[Action]

[purewhite]

[The knock on the door is enough to startle Rosa out of her funk. It doesn't take her long for her to realize there is knocking on the door, and that it probably isn't someone who lives here -- that is more than enough to make her jump from her seat in her room upstairs, to go tearing down the stairs and to the door.

She knows full well it isn't Ceodore (he wouldn't knock, would he? No, probably not. If he did, it would be a quick one and then him entering) but it doesn't matter. There's always a possibility that it could be. It could be her son, and the Malnosso had just been... playing a nasty trick on them all.

Once she reaches the door, she opens it quickly, with a "Ceodore?!" quickly after. Instead, there is a woman there, with a basket with some... very good smelling things inside from the smell of it, someone who she doesn't know. Rosa's face falls a little, though it's no fault of Grune's. She should have known not to get her hopes up.]

...Can I help you?

[Action]

[paladinlost]

[The knock on the door also attracts Cecil's attention, of course. Who could be visiting today? The whole family had stuck together during the last few days, but no one had mentioned coming over now...

Thus, he follows Rosa to the front door, wondering who could be there the whole time. His heart skips a beat when she calls out their son's name, though he quickly realizes that it was merely a hope of hers and quashes it. But the smells of homemade food quickly catches his attention. He looks over her shoulder to look at the visitor, and finds himself staring at a very familiar face.]

...Grune?

[Action]

[lostinmyway]

[Grune looks at Rosa in concern before she transfers her gaze to Cecil. She smiles at both of them, to make them feel a little better.]

Hello, Cecil. I brought you some presents.

[Action]

[purewhite]

[There's a glance at Cecil. While she's never been a jealous woman, she does have to wonder who this woman is and... well, what she means by 'presents'! Rosa can only figure she's one of Cecil's friends, one she hadn't met yet.]

[Action]

[paladinlost]

...Presents.

[He sounds both incredulous and completely confused about the whole thing, but it doesn't last very long before he shakes himself out of it.]

Where are my manners? Grune, this is my wife Rosa. Rosa, this is Grune. We met while defending the village during an attack.

[Action]

[lostinmyway]

[The moment Grune hears exactly who Rosa is, her face lights up.]

Oh, I'm very glad to meet you!

[Rosa must be a very special person indeed if she's the one Cecil loves most of all.]

[Action]

[purewhite]

It's a pleasure to meet you as well. What brings you here today, besides presents?

[Action]

[paladinlost]

Delicious-smelling presents, if I might add?

[Even these days, his grief is not quite enough to make him forget his manners. Besides, it's perfectly truthful.]

[Action]

[lostinmyway]

[She smiles again at Cecil's words.]

Oh, thank you!

[And then her expression shifts. She keeps smiling, but there's something quieter about it now.]

I'm here to cheer you up.