Katie woke up briefly disoriented. She propped up on her elbow and looked at Stephen by Enwoo's crib. "What are you doing?"
Stephen whipped around. "You startled me."
"What's going on, what are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, sweetheart, I didn't mean to wake you. It's almost dinner, and I was just going to get Enwoo fed and back to bed."
Enwoo was standing in his crib watching his momma. When she blinked at him, he showed his teeth and began bouncing his legs and babbling in happy Enwooese.
"I think he didn't want to wake you either."
Katie looked out of the bedroom window. "Oh, gosh. You could have woken me hours ago."
Stephen winced. "I tried."
"Oh."
He walked over to the bed and kissed her forehead. "Well, you're awake now, come on down, mom made biscuits and gravy."
"Oh no, she shouldn't have. She's a guest in my house, I should have made dinner."
"Sweetie, don't worry about it. Besides, it's good you're up, we all want to talk about plans."
"Plans?"
"Turns all, all three of the triplets want to move to Stormwind."
"What?" Katie climbed out of bed. "But..."
Stephen laughed and pressed his mouth to hers. "Don't worry, only Millie wants to move in with us." He rubbed her arms. "Well, let's all go speak on it." Going back to Enwoo, he plucked the toddler from the crib. "Unless you don't want them to? I can put a stop to anything you don't want."
"I didn't say that." Katie picked up her hairbrush and began working on her hair. "The only problem I foresaw was the fact that we had this nice house built for us, and we were going to fill it before our children could."
"Nah. Wasn't the plan, not really."
"Good." She put her brush down. Holding out her hands, she smiled.
Stephen passed Enwoo to her. "I can carry him."
"I want to carry him until he's too big to do so. Or I am, whichever comes first."
"Alright, sweetheart."
----
Elunara was up in the Keep's office poring over paperwork when Varian walked in. The twins were quietly playing with their toys. He blinked at her. "When did you get in? I didn't see you walk up."
"Sometime after lunch." Elunara rubbed her tired eyes. "You were giving that tour to some farmers. Or diplomats, or whatever they were. I figured I'd get started on these contracts." Elunara yawned and stretched. "I guess it's late as hell now."
"That it is." He leaned against the door and crossed his arms. Watching her yawn and stretch was always a production. He glanced around the room and a thought occurred to him. "Elunara, where's Emaline?"
"Probably still at train-- Oh, shit!" Elunara jumped out of her chair and the twins startled. "I forgot to go get Emaline." She scrubbed her hands over her face. "I'm a shit ass mother."
"You are not. You may have overworked yourself, but one day isn't going to make you horrible. Come on, let's go get her together."
At that moment, Emaline walked into the office. "I'm back." She looked exhausted. "I tried to keep training, but Jerry took my weapon from me." She pouted. "They walked me home. I knew today was keep work."
"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry, I should have been there to pick you up--"
Emaline waved a hand. "It's ok, mom. I'm going to bed."
Elunara felt like she'd been slapped, and she sat down hard in her chair as Emaline walked to her bedroom. The soul crushing moment her seven-year-old called her "mom" instead of "mommy" sung in the air. She buried her face in her hands.
Andryxia and Laithion looked at each other, confused. "What just happened?" Laithion whispered to his sister.
"I'm going to check on Emaline." Varian frowned.
Elunara scrubbed her face and the tears that threatened to come. "Yes, let's." She stood up and gestured to the twins. "Stay here for a moment, okay?"
"Yes, mommy." They responded in unison. After their parents left, Laithion turned to Andryxia. "Sister Emaline isn't looking so good."
"She made mommy cry. But I don't know why." Andryxia hugged her stuffies.
-----
Elunara knocked on Emaline's door. She opened the door at the small, "Come in." Emaline was pulling back the blankets on her bed.
Elunara hesitated. "Emaline?"
"Yes?"
"Sweetie. I'm sorry I didn't come pick you up from practice."
"It's fine, you have work."
Varian rubbed his hand on Elunara's back. "Emaline, we're both very worried about you, about how much you practice."
"I have to..." Emalina rubbed her eye and yawned hugely. "I have to protect..." She climbed into bed. "Show brother Anduin." She laid her head on the pillow and was out in an instant.
Elunara and Varian looked at each other. "I feel we've failed her somehow." Elunara put her head on Varian's shoulder.
"Come now, we'll figure it out after she rests."
Elunara went back to the office and found the twins in deep conversation. "What's the matter, you two?"
They turned to their mother and in a flutter of wings, crossed the distance. Andryxia held up her stuffies. "Miss Pooferton and Mr. Quarkerton say, that if you need a hug, they will give you one."
Elunara stooped down as she was completely undone by her youngest. "Oh, Sweetheart." She carefully took the stuffies and hugged them to her chest. She wrapped her arm around Andryxia. "Thank you."
Not to be left out, Laithion wrapped his arms around his mother. "We don't think you're a bad mommy."
Elunara tried to swallow that rock in her throat. "I see." She finally managed. "Alright, okay. It's late and honestly, past everyone's bedtimes."
"Aw."
"Come on, don't give me any gruff, I need... let's just get you guys in bed, okay?"