Carlotta didn't like this situation. She was powerless to protect her children and she knew it. Worse still, they didn't really need her protection. Cilla had done this before. She had been taught by Simus, Alice and the others well and she had put that knowledge to good use on their last adventure. She had proven quick, clever and cunning and as soon as her body could catch up she'd be fighting like her sister. She was still a child and she still needed love and protection but people like Aliah and Julius really could give her that while on the road. Carlotta knew she had lost this argument by logic but the protective mother in her wouldn't give up. These were here children they were talking about and Salthar, a childless vampire, couldn't possibly understand that.
"I want to talk to Cilla about this." She said, folding her arms across her chest and digging her heels into the snow. "I need to know that this is really her choice and not you coercing her in some way. If my Cilla can stand with you all, look me in the eye and say with a straight face that this is what she wants then I'll believe her. Now come inside, all of you. It's freezing out here."
She opened the door and let the warm air of the house out. The smell of burning wood and sizzling bacon greeted everyone at the threshold along with the warm puff of air. "I still can't believe you all are traveling in this. There's at least a foot of snow on the ground outside the city and when night falls it's gonna..."
She stopped mid-sentence as she saw Cilla on a brown leather chair against one of the front windows. The window was open and Cilla was looking out of it, leaning over the chair high on her knees with her stomach against the back and hands holding the windowsill. She had wrapped a warm quilt around her shoulders like a cloak to ward off the cold. All it took was a moment of Carlotta clearing her throat for the little girl to turn from her perch and look like a fox in a hen coup. Her cheeks turned as pink as her footy pajamas.
"Francilla Elizabeth?" Carlotta asked in a stern motherly tone. "What are you doing?"
"I..." Cilla started, drawing a complete blank. "I was just...uhhh...."
"Listening in on a conversation you weren't involved in?"
Cilla got down from the chair and walked in front of her stepmother, leaving her blanket behind. She looked down at her feet shamefully. She folded her hands behind her back and started tracing circles with the big toe of her covered right foot. She did that when she was nervous or guilty. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping mama but I was worried I wouldn't be able to go today because of Alice being sick. I thought you were going to talk to Salthar and I needed to know what you were talking about. I know Salthar's scary mama, I really do. But he's never hurt Alice or me. He's never even tried to hurt Alice or me. And everybody else is really nice. I love Julius and Elizabeth, and Donath and Aliah. And even though Shadari and Lytharre and Torin don't like me and even though I don't know why I still love them too. Even if they're sometime mean and I don't understand why. These are my friends mama. And they can take care of me. And I promise I can stay out of trouble and help. I've proven it before. I promise I'm telling you the truth mama. Don't you believe me?"
Carlotta was overcome with pity. Her baby was telling the truth. She pulled off her coat and boots, once again only in her long white nightgown, and walked over to Cilla. She knelt down and took her stepdaughter into a big hug, holding her close and stroking her long brown hair that looked just like hers. Cilla returned the hug eagerly and clung to Carlotta. "Of course I believe you sweetheart. And it's okay, I'm not mad at you. I promise. It's just that...well...mamas have very strong feelings when their children are faced with something dangerous or scary and sometimes they don't always think because of that. That's what happened here. You're right, you have proven yourself."
"So does that mean I can go?" Cilla asked from her stepmother's chest. "Even without Alice?"
"Yes. You can go without Alice, but you have to promise me something. That you behave yourself and follow all the rules Aliah gives you. She'll be taking care of you so she's the boss. Anything she wants she gets. Just like when you travel with me or papa or Alice or Julius. Understand?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Carlotta gave a heavy sigh and hugged Cilla a little closer. Then she shifted both of them so they could face the group but still hold each other. "Well you all heard it here. Cilla can go, provided my conditions are met. Now, who's hungry?"
Meanwhile, upstairs Alice listened to Elizabeth and smiled at her compassion, and at being right in that she was a lover of footy pajamas before they met. She just knew it. Julius came into the room to check on her and Elizabeth said that she'd give them some time alone. Alice didn't want her to leave but she was too weak to protest. She looked up to Julius with a pouty expression. "i wish she didn't leave. Salthar might not let her back up. I don't feel good Jules. I can't go with you guys today. And my jammies are all sweaty. I need to get out of them and wash myself down to get this sweat off, then change into a fresh pair. I...might need some help with that. If you're willing."