Private Family Time

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Tag: Colette Kahlil Noble

"He's right," Eleya said with an appreciative smile for Colette's care, "Thousands of years ago, our people bonded with the Ayda on this Island. We take care of them and protect their living space, and they've been trustworthy companions to us in return." She dipped her head and gestured for the Noble family to follow.

The triplets were very excited.

"Colette? Can I ride with you?" Aurra asked after tugging on Colette's pants to get her attention. The Ayda were big creatures, and Aurra already seemed to understand that she wasn't going to ride one alone. Valery picked up on the question and gave Colette an encouraging nod. "The Ayda can fly us where we need to be on their own. So you don't need to know how to ride one." Just how to communicate with them, and the Keshians had mastered that skill.

"Love?" Valery asked. "Will you ride with me?" She couldn't stop her stupid grin from spreading anymore. The last time had been quite romantic and even though this was just a short ride, she liked the idea of flying with him.

"I'll take Aeryn and Aris can take Adam!" Vera exclaimed.

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble / Kahlil Noble

Colette supposed she could live with a sort of symbiosis. Valery hardly had to nod her head to encourage Colette to go with Aurra's request. The kid was practically already on her shoulders by the time she lifted her head up from the first nod.

"Of course, Aurra!" She chuckled and shuffled around to get the kid comfortable up there. It would be nice to do this while Aurra was still small(er than her) after all. "Just remember what we talked about and you'll be fine."

As they approached the Ayda it was much the same as before. Colette eased Aurra down to the ground and together they would go through the same steps again as they had on the mountain just to make sure the points had stuck.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I suppose I should, less you end up getting bucked off midflight, mm?"

Kahlil flashed a teasing grin. He did agree, of course. He was similarly thinking about their last flight together, but he wasn't going to let those thoughts show on his face. Those emotions were only for Valery, after all. Aris in turn nodded. Him and Adam would work fine, though Aris himself wasn't too sure how he felt about being the one to hold the reigns.

"I can't communicate with them through the Force. What should I do?"

Valery Noble | Colette

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring
Tag: Colette Kahlil Noble

"Me? Bucked off?" Valery snorted and gave him quite a glare right after that. These were her people and customs, damnit. She wasn't going to let him just do her dirty like this. Now she had something prove, and he had something to make up for while they were up in the sky. Maybe the stunt from last time would work again.

Up in the clouds, it'd be just them.

"Mhm!" Aurra called out to her big sister after she was helped up on the Ayda. "These big birdies are nice," she mused while gently patting the feathers of the one that'd be flying them across the Island. Aurra then leaned back and carefully kept herself close to Colette while the fantastic beast began to run, until it spread its wings and took them airborne.

It already knew where to go.

"Look how high we are!!" Aura squealed as loudly as she could.

Down below, Vera was still waiting for the others to get ready. "You won't have to, Aris," Vera told him as she lifted Aeryn up and turned to see Colette and Aurra taking off already. "They already know where to go, so just sit still and enjoy the ride." Vera smiled encouragingly and looked down at Adam, who was tugging at his brother's pants now. He was excited!

"Hey, love?" Valery asked once they were up in the air with several other Ayda around them. Their family. "Isn't this amazing? All of us together like this?"

 

[Colette]

Kahlil Noble / Valery Noble

"Yep!" Colette acknowledged the height and wrapped her arm just a little tighter around Aurra in case she would for some reason just happen to be knocked off the big bird. "This one seems to know where we're headed."

A careful glance shot off over Colette's shoulder towards Valery and Kahlil.

Something in the force seemed to swell and… Well, perhaps… No. No, that was not something that she wanted to think about.

Colette turned her attention to Aurra again. "This feels a lot better than a spaceship or speeder, don'it?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"It truly is."

Kahlil smiled as he wrapped his arms around Valery's waist and leaned against her. For now he let her actually handle the flying. As much as he was teasing, he knew she could handle it. He closed his eyes, letting it be her who guided them through the clouds rather than trying to keep an eye out on anything himself. He was relaxed here. Relaxed and happy.

Aris on the other hand just stared at the bird. So he didn't need to do anything? He let out a sigh before lifting Adam up in one arm and hopped onto the bird with ease. ".. Uh. Yip yip?"

Valery Noble | Colette

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring

"Mhm!" Aurra replied with a grin of pure wonder. "This is fun!" Much better than flying around in a ship or speeder, that was for sure. Now, she could feel the wind blowing through her hair, and she loved seeing the huge wings of the pretty birdy extended to let them glide through the air. The view, somehow, felt even more real as well, even if it wasn't much different than what she'd see inside a ship.

It felt different.

"We're flying!"

Valery leaned forward and smiled when she felt her husband's chin resting on her shoulder. With his arms around her waist and his eyes closed, he felt relaxed. Happy. Valery began to smile and only once they were safely in the air and drifting along the currents of the wind, she turned her head and kissed his cheek.

"It's nice to see you this happy and calm. I know it's not always easy with so many little ones to take care of, but it warms my heart." She rested her forehead against his for a moment and just enjoyed the moment.

"Really? Yip yip?" Vera shook her head but also grumbled, when the Ayda did actually extend its wings to fly away. Just a coincidence, but no doubt something he could use against her. Adam was too busy throwing his own arms outwards to really overhear the conversation between his siblings.

He was flying!

"Aris! Look!" he exclaimed even though his big brother was right behind him. "I see Mommy! There's Colette!"

Colette Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble / Kahlil Noble

"Yes we are!" Colette happily chimed as she kept her arm locked tight in place, still just in case. "And I think it's taking us… There?"

Colette looked over to a spot down below. Now, looking at something a distance away? Very nice, very cool. Making the mistake of looking almost straight down? Not nice, very uncool. A firm knot tied itself within Colette's stomach and she slowly wrapped Aurra even tighter within her arms.

Of course, she would never admit to being scared. She clearly just wanted a hug. It just so happened that for a short while she was made all too aware of how certain her death would have been if she somehow fell off this bird in this moment.

"Soon you'll be able to do this without me, huh?" Colette added as she ease up on the 'hug' and calmed her nerves. "Aurra the Animal Whisperer, friend of the beasts."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"We've thankfully got a nanny to help, you know. It does make it much easier to have the extra hands. But, and I think this is important for you to hear, I wouldn't be stressed out taking care of them by myself if I had to."

Kahlil smiled, turning is head to gently kiss her cheek in turn before he looked ahead towards their destination. "I love them, all of them, unconditionally."

Aris frowned as she glanced to Vera. "I heard it in a show, it was the only guess i had." Then glanced down to Adam. A smile had returned as he nodded, letting his gaze drift around towards the others. "Yes. We can see a lot here, can't we?"

Valery Noble | Colette

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring

"I know," Valery said as she leaned into the hug and smiled at the kiss against her cheek, "You can handle anything on your own if you have to. But I just don't want it to be like that." She took one of his hands and interlaced fingers. They were a team, as husband and wife, but also as parents. They had chosen to have a big family and she'd always be there to help him with the kids whenever she could, and she knew he'd do the same.

Still, the nanny was quite useful, too.

"Yeah!" Adam yelled loudly in response to his brother. "Can we bring one home?" he then asked, referring to the Ayda. The idea of flying around Niv Hani was extremely exciting, even if he knew that it wasn't really going to be possible. The big birdies needed to stay where their home was, after all.

But he could still have his wishes.

Meanwhile, Aurra tightened her little arms around Colette's in return when their Ayda began to make a descent. She giggled and kicked her feet back and forth — this was fun!

"Maybe but I like doing this with you," she said with a warm smile as she leaned back against her sister. The Ayda was bringing them down to a small building on the beach. It was made mostly of wood and stone, with a huge chimney rising from the ground, and clearly must have been maintained by the Keshians if Valery's Mom had once been there. The design, however, was still the same old design of all those years past.

"That is the Keshian forge," Valery said, "It's where my Mom used to make armor and weapons."

Colette Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble / Kahlil Noble

Oh, how it tugged at Colette's heartstrings to hear. The first hug was a lie but the second one was not. In a way she treasured Aurra more than the others. Not because she saw the kid as fragile or anything like that, but because if anything she was the opposite. There would be things that her siblings would be able to excel at with ease, but she still kept up with them without any issue.

Besides that, she was just so easy to deal with. The other two were… A lot sometimes.

"Then we'll just have to keep doing this." Colette said and chuckled just before they landed. "And then when you're older, maybe we'll be able to sneak off on our own little adventures too."

"... Once your mother is a little less… Motherly about it."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"No. No we are not bringing one home."

Aris glanced down to Adam with a patient smile, but one that left no room for debate. It was bad enough Vera tended to want to bring home animals when they were younger. Adam certainly seemed to also pick up on that little trait. "They belong here, in their natural habitat. We can always come back and visit, though." They were family here, after all.

Kahlil on the other hand was just calmly holding Valery close. They were, and always would be, a team. Once they landed he hopped off, having picked up Valery rather casually in the process. And was still carrying her in his arms even as she explained what the building was to the others. "Do they still smith here?"

Valery Noble | Colette

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring

"Our Mom," Aurra said with a smile after hopping off from the Ayda's back. She then reached for Colette's hand and looked up at her big sister. As young as she was, Aurra understood that Colette came into the family in a different way. Still, she was part of the family all the same, and Mom and Dad were also her Mom and Dad!

As long as she wanted them to be.

"But I'd like that." She nodded and stayed close to her big sister while they readied themselves to head over to the building near the beach! Mom and Dad also landed, and Vera and Aris joined soon after.

"Dad, put Mom down," Vera said as she climbed off. "Nobody wants to see this." She shuddered and guided Aeryn over to Aris and Adam, just so they could herd the difficult ones together a little.

Valery just rolled her eyes in response and kept her arms around her husband's neck for as long as he held her. She was quite comfortable where she was. "They do," Valery said with a smile. "Remember the armor they made me last time? It was made here, and I thought it'd be cute if we all got something together."

Colette Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble / Kahlil Noble

"Oh! Yeah, sorry, of course. Our mother." Colette smiled as Aurra extended her hand to help Colette off the tall birdie as it knelt down. "Why thank you, my lady."

The tribal gave her helper a playful bow before they joined the others at the smithy.

"You'll be the same in twenty years, Vera." Colette teased the kid as she swept up next to her. "Maybe even worse."

"... Somehow."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Mmno."

Kahlil shrugged to Vera as he kept Valery very much in his arms, at least for now. "What are you thinking to make? More armor? Perhaps some blades?"

Valery Noble | Colette

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring

"Gross," Vera said in response to both her father and Colette. "Could I have a helmet with no holes for my eyes? Then I don't have to see this anymore." Vera shot her parents a smug grin and turned away to start guiding the triplets along to the fore. Valery just rolled her eyes and pulled herself up by her husband's neck to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Well, I for one am very comfortable." She beamed a warm smile and looked between her husband and kids, "I was thinking we could all have something different, though. Something that feels fitting for us." Aris was perhaps the easiest because he loved his swords. Valery was thinking about something simple, like some wristbands or armbands.

Aurra loved being a princess, so maybe a cute crown?

"Colette? Aris? Any ideas what you two would like? It doesn't have to be combat armor or weapons either. They make jewelry and personalized items as well. Usually for ceremonies or when a warrior earned some form of recognition." Valery turned her gaze back to Kahlil and looked him in the eyes for a moment.

"Do you have any ideas, love? Or do you want me to pick for you?"

Colette Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Colette]

Valery Noble / Kahlil Noble

Kahlil's response, Vera's response, Valery's response, Colette's response. It was all like a chain of three grins and a frown.

"Don't be such a prude, Vera." Colette poked at her with a wide grin. "All things considered this might just be how some of you were first conceived. It's the circle of life really if you think about it."

Yes, that was a precision strike choice of a word. No, Colette wasn't even the slightest bit ashamed of it.

"Bracers." Colette said and shrugged. "Something to help catch blades or at least resist them."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Hmm. I wonder, does Shan carry you like this?"

She was poking at the fire with Vera, so he figured he'd stomp that out right at the source of it himself. He wouldn't elaborate further at least, instead nodding to Valery. There wasn't anything he'd really want, but perhaps he would be inspired by what the others might ask for. The same couldn't be said for Aris, who, after taking Adam off the creature they'd flown here on, seemed to brighten up with a smile.

"I'd like a dagger, I think."

Valery Noble | Colette

 

[Colette]

"Bold to assume Shan's the one doing the carrying." Colette shrugged with a smirk. "But fine, message received."

Lay off the jokes, let Vera live with her embarrassment. Colette had already said what she wanted to say.

Valery Noble / Kahlil Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Outfit: Epicanthix Dress | Wedding Ring

Vera just blinked at the interaction that followed, but her Mother wasn't quite as silent and stunned. She snorted at Colette's comment and shook her head almost in disbelief. This was what it meant to be a Noble — always teasing and throwing little jabs at each other. As long as it remained innocent enough and fun, it'd never bother her.

Vera, however, decided to walk ahead a little while she rolled her eyes.

Sometimes, her family was unbelievable.

"Alright, I think we have an idea, then. Bracers for Colette, a dagger for Aris, a tiara for Aurra..." she looked at Adam, but he already knew what he wanted. "A dagger!" The child echoed. His brother wanted one, so he wanted one, too. Valery sighed in response and looked at Aeryn.

"I want a dagger, too!"

Of course, she did.

Kahlil Noble Colette ​