Post by fluffybun on Jan 1, 2015 5:36:48 GMT 10
Title: An Unexpected Training
Rating: G
For: Idlesse
Prompt: Raoul and Buri anything
Summary: Raoul learns something new from Buri care of Alanna dumping a responsibility on him. Actually, several somethings.
Notes: Post Scanran War, I apologize for any possible timeline issues. Happy Wishing Tree! Use of 'nappies' which are probably just cloths in the Tortall Universe.
Post Scanran War, 464 HE
Raoul awoke from an early afternoon nap to a sharp rapping at his doors.
He didn't think he had called a meeting with anyone and Buri didn't need to knock...
"Raoul! Quick, let me in!"
A bemused Raoul let Alanna in, goggling when she brought in Daine's son and what seemed to be a bag bursting with nappies.
"Should I ask why you've got Rikash, Alanna?"
Alanna the Lioness grinned up at Raoul. "Shh, Raoul, Daine asked me to, so I did. Besides, I've got grandkids coming," she said, "I better get in the practice again."
"It's not something you forget, I think" Raoul said mildly, his eyes on the baby. "You've had three of them after all."
"I suppose," Alanna said, adjusting her grip on Saralyn. "Though I had forgotten that babies needed so much things, with how heavy this bag is."
"You weren't much better yourself when you were the one packing the bags, Alanna" said Raoul. "George was a saint for helping to bring all that you brought when your babes were in tow."
Alanna grinned back, unapologetic. "George understands that emergencies can happen and to anticipate them."
"Alanna, I know you're nearby" said Jon's voice distantly as he clearly was nearing Raoul's rooms. "We have that meeting-"
Alanna cried out in dismay, "He's found me. Raoul, take care of the baby, okay?"
"All right," he said doubtfully. In his forty years as a bachelor, he had no idea what to do with babies. Marrying Buri hadn't caused any information to be imparted instantly to him.
"Her things and nappies are in the bag I left," she cried before running off. "Thanks! I'll have George pick him up later!"
He stared at the child who was currently looking at him with adoring eyes.
How hard can it be, he thought, before shaking his head. Every time he asked himself that, things usually fell apart.
Better call Buri to be safe, he thought, before ringing for his squire to call Buri for him.
***
"Raoul," Buri said once she had been brought to their rooms by Squire Alan, "may I know why there is a baby in our room? Oh, is that..."
"Yes, this is apparently Daine's child that Alanna was tasked to take care of while Daine is off with Numair on something secret. Alanna was called by Jon, so she left her with me."
She tsked before leaning down to smile at the quiet baby boy. "Well, let's just hope that he doesn't transform into a horse or something." She laughed at Raoul's horrified look. "Don't worry, Daine was just telling me this morning while we were watching the Riders practice that she had mostly gotten Saralyn to stay as a human as long as she was with friendly strangers. From what I heard, Rikash hasn't shown any hint of wanting to transform into an animal since he was born."
"Okay," said Raoul, still looking doubtfully at the child.
Buri laughed. "Let me just get a message sent to Daine that Rikash is here, okay?"
While Buri was gone, Rikash who thankfully hadn't transformed into any other living creature yet, suddenly decided do something else that was worrying - he began to cry.
Raoul hunted through Alanna's bag. "What do you want? Food? Milk?" What did Daine feed this baby? Daine ate normal food, right? "Do you want a toy? I think I saw one in here..." He started tearing through the bag, did Daine not leave anything in here but food and nappies?
"Okay, if Daine comes back to the palace before George does, she'll know to come to come here-" Buri's eyes widened at the harried face Raoul showed her as he tried to placate the crying Rikash.
"Oh, you overgrown boy" said Buri affectionately. "Here, let me hold him." She took the baby from him and started tickling it, causing the baby to smile.
"I didn't know you were good with babies," Raoul said thankfully. Buri looked at ease with the child, the smile in her eyes genuine as she continued playing with the baby.
"Oh, you pick it up by and by, especially when at Thayet's insistence we had to bring around a baby with us when we were escaping the K'miri" said Buri, her nose wrinkling when an unpleasant smell started wafting from the baby's bottom. "We have to change its nappie," she declared.
Raoul's eyes widened. "Do you know how to?"
"Of course, it's an important skill to know in life" she said matter-of-factly, reaching for one from the bag. "Keep him there," she ordered. "I just need to wash my hands before I do so."
"Okay," he said as she left the room, "I'll do my best." He wondered if he should introduce baby caretaking into the Own but shook his head - many of the men might already know if they had any younger siblings and they could better to other jobs in peacetime anyway. Jon would be amused though.
"Okay, let's get it done" said Buri, briskly walking into the room and going to the table, her hands quickly undoing the nappie and efficiently starting to change it. "See, you watch, just in case you need to someday."
Raoul stopped watching Buri's hands to look at her. "I will?"
"You never know," Buri said, winking at him. "Kel says you were infinitely good with kids when you visited her gaggle at New Hope."
He had been, he supposed, but none of Kel's brood at New Hope were babies. "Well, all right."
Buri grinned. "Good, then let's teach you next how to-"
***
"There, you've got it" said Buri matter-of-factly as Raoul finished changing Rikash's nappie. He shouldn't be surprised at how often babies pooped, he thought, considering how much the grown men in the Own did. At least Rikash had stayed in human form all throughout the visit.
"Thanks to you, dear wife" said Raoul while disposing of the smelly nappie. "I am gracious for your assistance," he said grandly. Buri grinned back at him.
A soft rap was heard at the door, one that was clearly intended not to wake a sleeping babe. Raoul opened it to see the promised George with twinkling eyes.
"Raoul, Alanna says you've got Daine's child?" He nodded at Buri, who grinned at him.
Raoul caught him around the shoulder. "Yes, come in, George. It's been a long while."
George grinned. "Just let me get the baby back to Alanna, she's finally free of the meetings and wants greatly to see Rikash again and I'll take you up on that offer Raoul."
"Well, all right" said Raoul, passing the sleeping Rikash over to George after her bag. George handled the baby knackily. But then again, Raoul thought, George had had three of his own children to take care of, especially when Alanna was away. That and he honestly couldn't imagine George not being good at anything, being what he was.
"Thank you for taking care of him while Alanna was busy," said George. "Maybe you'll need the skills you learned today someday, Raoul?"
Raoul laughed. "Maybe someday," he agreed.
"Yes, thank Alanna for the practice she made Raoul go through," said Buri cheerfully, her grin wider than normal.
George winked at Raoul. "Maybe you'll need it sooner than I thought?"
Raoul laughed again. "What are you saying?" He turned to Buri to share the joke but she was grinning back at him with one hand over her tummy.
The next thing he knew, Duke Baird was leaning over him and reviving him from his fainting spell. Buri and Kel were grinning at him from beside his bed.
"And I thought that you only felt faint when you were hungry, milord" said Kel slyly.
"He will get used to it," said Duke Baird, looking at them with amusement. "Most first time fathers have the same problems. I speak as both a Healer and a Father when I say this."
Raoul felt faint with half-happiness, half-disbelief. "Is it true, Buri? We're going to have a baby?"
Buri just grinned at him and held up two fingers.
Raoul fainted again.
Rating: G
For: Idlesse
Prompt: Raoul and Buri anything
Summary: Raoul learns something new from Buri care of Alanna dumping a responsibility on him. Actually, several somethings.
Notes: Post Scanran War, I apologize for any possible timeline issues. Happy Wishing Tree! Use of 'nappies' which are probably just cloths in the Tortall Universe.
Post Scanran War, 464 HE
Raoul awoke from an early afternoon nap to a sharp rapping at his doors.
He didn't think he had called a meeting with anyone and Buri didn't need to knock...
"Raoul! Quick, let me in!"
A bemused Raoul let Alanna in, goggling when she brought in Daine's son and what seemed to be a bag bursting with nappies.
"Should I ask why you've got Rikash, Alanna?"
Alanna the Lioness grinned up at Raoul. "Shh, Raoul, Daine asked me to, so I did. Besides, I've got grandkids coming," she said, "I better get in the practice again."
"It's not something you forget, I think" Raoul said mildly, his eyes on the baby. "You've had three of them after all."
"I suppose," Alanna said, adjusting her grip on Saralyn. "Though I had forgotten that babies needed so much things, with how heavy this bag is."
"You weren't much better yourself when you were the one packing the bags, Alanna" said Raoul. "George was a saint for helping to bring all that you brought when your babes were in tow."
Alanna grinned back, unapologetic. "George understands that emergencies can happen and to anticipate them."
"Alanna, I know you're nearby" said Jon's voice distantly as he clearly was nearing Raoul's rooms. "We have that meeting-"
Alanna cried out in dismay, "He's found me. Raoul, take care of the baby, okay?"
"All right," he said doubtfully. In his forty years as a bachelor, he had no idea what to do with babies. Marrying Buri hadn't caused any information to be imparted instantly to him.
"Her things and nappies are in the bag I left," she cried before running off. "Thanks! I'll have George pick him up later!"
He stared at the child who was currently looking at him with adoring eyes.
How hard can it be, he thought, before shaking his head. Every time he asked himself that, things usually fell apart.
Better call Buri to be safe, he thought, before ringing for his squire to call Buri for him.
***
"Raoul," Buri said once she had been brought to their rooms by Squire Alan, "may I know why there is a baby in our room? Oh, is that..."
"Yes, this is apparently Daine's child that Alanna was tasked to take care of while Daine is off with Numair on something secret. Alanna was called by Jon, so she left her with me."
She tsked before leaning down to smile at the quiet baby boy. "Well, let's just hope that he doesn't transform into a horse or something." She laughed at Raoul's horrified look. "Don't worry, Daine was just telling me this morning while we were watching the Riders practice that she had mostly gotten Saralyn to stay as a human as long as she was with friendly strangers. From what I heard, Rikash hasn't shown any hint of wanting to transform into an animal since he was born."
"Okay," said Raoul, still looking doubtfully at the child.
Buri laughed. "Let me just get a message sent to Daine that Rikash is here, okay?"
While Buri was gone, Rikash who thankfully hadn't transformed into any other living creature yet, suddenly decided do something else that was worrying - he began to cry.
Raoul hunted through Alanna's bag. "What do you want? Food? Milk?" What did Daine feed this baby? Daine ate normal food, right? "Do you want a toy? I think I saw one in here..." He started tearing through the bag, did Daine not leave anything in here but food and nappies?
"Okay, if Daine comes back to the palace before George does, she'll know to come to come here-" Buri's eyes widened at the harried face Raoul showed her as he tried to placate the crying Rikash.
"Oh, you overgrown boy" said Buri affectionately. "Here, let me hold him." She took the baby from him and started tickling it, causing the baby to smile.
"I didn't know you were good with babies," Raoul said thankfully. Buri looked at ease with the child, the smile in her eyes genuine as she continued playing with the baby.
"Oh, you pick it up by and by, especially when at Thayet's insistence we had to bring around a baby with us when we were escaping the K'miri" said Buri, her nose wrinkling when an unpleasant smell started wafting from the baby's bottom. "We have to change its nappie," she declared.
Raoul's eyes widened. "Do you know how to?"
"Of course, it's an important skill to know in life" she said matter-of-factly, reaching for one from the bag. "Keep him there," she ordered. "I just need to wash my hands before I do so."
"Okay," he said as she left the room, "I'll do my best." He wondered if he should introduce baby caretaking into the Own but shook his head - many of the men might already know if they had any younger siblings and they could better to other jobs in peacetime anyway. Jon would be amused though.
"Okay, let's get it done" said Buri, briskly walking into the room and going to the table, her hands quickly undoing the nappie and efficiently starting to change it. "See, you watch, just in case you need to someday."
Raoul stopped watching Buri's hands to look at her. "I will?"
"You never know," Buri said, winking at him. "Kel says you were infinitely good with kids when you visited her gaggle at New Hope."
He had been, he supposed, but none of Kel's brood at New Hope were babies. "Well, all right."
Buri grinned. "Good, then let's teach you next how to-"
***
"There, you've got it" said Buri matter-of-factly as Raoul finished changing Rikash's nappie. He shouldn't be surprised at how often babies pooped, he thought, considering how much the grown men in the Own did. At least Rikash had stayed in human form all throughout the visit.
"Thanks to you, dear wife" said Raoul while disposing of the smelly nappie. "I am gracious for your assistance," he said grandly. Buri grinned back at him.
A soft rap was heard at the door, one that was clearly intended not to wake a sleeping babe. Raoul opened it to see the promised George with twinkling eyes.
"Raoul, Alanna says you've got Daine's child?" He nodded at Buri, who grinned at him.
Raoul caught him around the shoulder. "Yes, come in, George. It's been a long while."
George grinned. "Just let me get the baby back to Alanna, she's finally free of the meetings and wants greatly to see Rikash again and I'll take you up on that offer Raoul."
"Well, all right" said Raoul, passing the sleeping Rikash over to George after her bag. George handled the baby knackily. But then again, Raoul thought, George had had three of his own children to take care of, especially when Alanna was away. That and he honestly couldn't imagine George not being good at anything, being what he was.
"Thank you for taking care of him while Alanna was busy," said George. "Maybe you'll need the skills you learned today someday, Raoul?"
Raoul laughed. "Maybe someday," he agreed.
"Yes, thank Alanna for the practice she made Raoul go through," said Buri cheerfully, her grin wider than normal.
George winked at Raoul. "Maybe you'll need it sooner than I thought?"
Raoul laughed again. "What are you saying?" He turned to Buri to share the joke but she was grinning back at him with one hand over her tummy.
The next thing he knew, Duke Baird was leaning over him and reviving him from his fainting spell. Buri and Kel were grinning at him from beside his bed.
"And I thought that you only felt faint when you were hungry, milord" said Kel slyly.
"He will get used to it," said Duke Baird, looking at them with amusement. "Most first time fathers have the same problems. I speak as both a Healer and a Father when I say this."
Raoul felt faint with half-happiness, half-disbelief. "Is it true, Buri? We're going to have a baby?"
Buri just grinned at him and held up two fingers.
Raoul fainted again.