Chapter 2: Getting to Know You

     Morgana hummed as she puttered around the kitchen.  She gave the eggs on the stove a jostle to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan before going to the refrigerator for a bottle of orange juice.  Merlin sat at the table, drinking from a plasma pouch as he watched her move with a smile.

     It had been a long time since the last time he visited his old friend.  A generation or two at least, he thought to himself.  The time apart had been good to her.  She was obviously happy and in her element as a Hearthkeeper.

     His sharp ears picked up the annoying buzz from an alarm coming from one of the other rooms in the house.  The door on the other side of the stove opened as Morgana (Morgan, she asked you to call  her Morgan, he reminded himself) plated the omelets and carried it to the table.  She smiled as she passed the gray haired man and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

     "Good morning, Ani," she greeted as he returned the kiss.

     "Morning," he said and nodded his head towards Merlin where he sat at the table.

     "This is my friend Merlin.  He arrived after everyone went to bed last night.  Merlin, this is my Ani," she introduced the two men.

     Merlin bowed his head in greeting as the new man smiled, returned the nod, and sat across from him at the table.

     "Not going to eat," he asked as he picked up a plate of eggs.

     "Already did," Merlin said holding up the empty plasma pouch.

     Anakin nodded as he tucked into the meal before him.

     A shuffle behind him had Merlin turning around as another man entered from the living room.  He was much younger and looked a lot like Anakin, except with black hair instead of gray, so Merlin figured this must be the son, Teddy.

     Teddy accepted a plate from Morgan with a kiss to her cheek and sat at the table.  Morgan settled down at the far end as they started eating.

     "Teddy," the younger man said after a taking a couple bites, apparently having woken enough to realize there was a strange man he hadn't been introduced to yet.

     "Merlin von Emrys," Merlin said offering his hand across the table.  Teddy clasped it for a brief shake before returning to his food.

     "Merlin's visiting for a couple days and will be staying in the guest room when he needs to sleep," Morgan said.

     Teddy grimaced before saying, "Sorry."

     Merlin glanced at Morgan when nothing else was forthcoming.

     "Luke, Teddy's son, is in the guest room.  It's really more of a catch all though that's where the bed Padme used before she moved out is." she explained before turning back to her son, "Like me, Merlin usually doesn't need to sleep much and may not even need to use the room at all."

     "Sa'nok!!!!" came a scream from the other side of the house.  Merlin jumped but the others simply kept eating while Morgan excused herself from the table and left the room.

     "Sorry 'bout that," Anakin apologized between bites, "the girls usually know better than to yell but every once in a while they forget the manners their mother's been teaching them."

     "I've raised my share of children before.  I'm familiar with the day to day crises that the youth face," Merlin acknowledged.

     "Really," Teddy asked, "You don't look any older than I am.  How old are you?"

     "It's usually considered rude to ask another's age but I am aware of my seeming youth.  In truth I am only a few days older than Morgan.  We grew up together."

     The boy grimaced and apologized, "Sorry, I didn't know you were a Blood-Born friend of Sa'nok."

     "It is something I keep to myself for my safety but I trust the household of my oldest friend."

     They returned to their meals as Morgan returned with two teens behind her, whom she introduced Wynn and Rhi before the girls grabbed ready meals from the refrigerator and leaving to head out to start their school day.

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     Merlin relaxed around the house with Anakin and Teddy who were off or taking a vacation from work that day while Morgan went to her shift at the Science lab.  Merlin looked up as Anakin sat on the couch next to him.

     "I have a question if you don't mind answering," he broke the silence.

     Merlin smiled at the man, "If I can I will, if I can't I'll let you know."

     "Fair enough," Anakin nodded.  "It's about being Blood-Born.  Morgan has told me that most will live with a household of donors but that our situation is kind of unique since I'm the only one that donates my blood to her."

     Merlin nodded, "Most Blood-Born do live with a large household, a Coven, to support them and the other Blood-Born members of the Seethe."  He smiled, "but Morgan has very rarely lived by the usual conventions.  Even when we were children."

     "What will it mean for Morgan when I am gone then?"

     "That depends on her," Merlin said.  "She can choose to take in a new donor or donors.  She could also seek out donations from Sims out in the city or purchase packs from blood banks like she's been doing."

     "In truth, I think Morgan's relationships with your family is unique because most Blood-Born won't forge friendships with Sims that die all too soon compared to us, and we send out our non-Blood-Born children as soon as they are of age.  Of course, Morgan's happiest with family around her so she's always chosen to carefully build family bonds with her friends and those she chooses as worthy."

      "I'm worried she won't seek out anyone after I'm gone.  Just for companionship if not for blood." Anakin sighed leaning back on the couch.

     "Morgan's lived many for a long time, she's lost loved ones and family before.  She will mourn your loss but eventually she will live again, especially with your children here to remind her that life continues on, as it ever did."

     "That is oddly reassuring," Anakin chuckled.

     Merlin smiled, "That's something I've learned from living as long as I have.  It was difficult at first when it was my parents, my first love, and our children that I lost, but Morgan was there for me to remind me that life continued and they would have all been so disappointed in me if they had been able to see me give up.  Morgan helped me find new purpose in building a shelter in a Coven for my surviving grandchildren and the Sims who came to me over the years for a new start."

     "That sounds like something that Morgan would do," Anakin smiled.  "She's always trying to help others."

     "She does," Merlin agreed.  "It's what she's always done."

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Random Ramblings...

  So here's chapter 2.  I'm interested in any thoughts or questions that you may have.  They both feed the muse and inspire me to write.  As a side note I wrote this a while back with chapters 1 and 3 (not sure how long ago since I'm posting this at some future date to writing this but oh well...)

I think I mentioned this before but this is a Randomacy Challenge.  I haven't posted the stats yet because they reveal too much but I haven't officially brought in Generation 2 because I'm still waiting for them to grow up.  (Hint: yes I'm talking about the twins)

Thank you for reading.

Subnotes:  I decided to give Morgan and her family another language that they use.  I'll add sections in the ramblings to clarify any terms in bold used.  (I'm using Na'vi as the other language, I don't know how to actually use it so I'm doing my best.  If anyone does know how to use it please feel free to give me any tips to help me learn.)

Sa'nok - Mother