Pink!
#4 of Zont
Pink!
During her years on Zont Jeanette had married, begun a family and learned to fit herself into the fabric of life on her new world. She noticed almost immediately that the climate in Portland was very much like that of any mid latitude coastal city and with that climate came a familiar rhythm of life and holidays. The names were different, Zont had nothing called Christmas, but it did have a variety of mid-winter festivals. As time went by Jeanette found holidays scattered throughout the calendar that reminded her of familiar holidays. When her own children became old enough to participate, Jeanette began introducing some of the traditions of her favorite holidays, first to her children and later the children of the neighborhood. Most were politely ignored, but a very few took on lives of their own. Hunting for colored eggs on a sunny spring day was second in popularity only to coloring those eggs the day before.
The plan was for the neighbors with children to hard boil eggs and bring them to skunk house where Jeanette and Sarah would have the dye set up on the patio, and 'supervise' the coming chaos.
"I got a new red die this year. It comes from the Minotaurs and uses no magic so the older kids won't be able to use any magic finding charms this year. I am so looking forward to seeing how well it works," said Sarah as she came out to the patio with a basket of colored pouches.
Lulu stopped what she was doing and stared. "I thought elves used magic in everything?" The idea that as an elf Sarah did not use magic on a daily basses was, well not an idea this 11 year old skunk was ready for.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but we don't have to use magic anymore than anyone else." Sarah shrugged as she said this, then made a fist and continued. "Last year those hoodlums found every one of my eggs in just a few minutes, but not this year." With a flair that reminded Jeanette of the evil mastermind explaining his plans to the hero in a 'B' movie Sarah told of how she had been collecting non magical dies all year long, "Those hoodlums will have to look for the eggs just like everyone else this year." Sarah finished with a silly fake evil laugh, just for the fun of it.
"You're terrible you know" teased Jeanette.
Sarah got very serious looking "You are never too old to have fun with young people."
"No we're not," Agreed Jeanette.
Lulu thought for a moment, then added, "or too young to have fun with old people."
"Agreed," added Sarah and Jeanette together as Patty and Zelda arrived with the first baskets of eggs and half a dozen neighborhood children stair stepped in size each with a progressively smaller basket of eggs.
"Bring them over here," said Sarah.
"Patty, Zelda thank you so much. Do you still have the list of families sending eggs," asked Jeanette as she and Sarah began mixing die in various containers.
"Between the families providing eggs, the supplies for the die, and helpers to keep track of the children I have seen Legions with simpler lists than this." Zelda held several pages out at arm's length, as she and Patty left to collect the next batch of eggs and children. Once in the street they met Fritz with a wagon and a large crate of crushed ice to keep the dyed eggs fresh through the night. Corbin and Cassie were sitting on the bench beside their father wrapped in his jacket, and looking chilled to the bone.
"Patty, Zelda, can you help me unload the ice? My helpers wore themselves out loading it." Fritz was not looking forward to unloading the ice by himself.
Patty laughing said, "Looks like they helped to load the ice by becoming one with it."
"It looks like they helped each other become one with the ice," laughed Zelda.
"That would be the gist of it," Agreed Fritz.
Fritz took his two younger children to the patio and stationed them next to the outside fire place while Patty and Zelda started unloading the ice.
While helping carry the ice to the patio Patty noticed Lulu and her siblings watching Zelda and quietly giggling. Something is afoot. Thought Patty, but how bad could it be when the conspirators were 11, 8, and 5? Oh well Zelda's a part of this, and she won't let anything happen to them.
The egg dyeing went on all morning and most of the afternoon as Patty and Zelda faired children and eggs most of which were already boiled back and forth between the children's homes and Skunk house, often carrying the youngest home in their arms when the children got tired. Every now and again Patty would notice Jeanette's children holding up an egg to admire its color, then looking at Zelda and laughing. There is something defiantly a foot.
After returning the last of the children, Patty told Zelda of her suspicion. "I think tomorrow you are going to get pelted with a rainbow of eggs."
"So you think it is my turn this year? I hope I have the grace you had last year."
Patty pinned her ears half way back. "Throwing the eggs was all right but the pile on ground smashed egg into my coat and main."
Zelda laughed a bit "It took two days to get it all out of your main. Speaking of which I hope there is still some hot water in the tub when we get back. The cub I was carrying is a bed wetter."
"Huh," Patty sniffed near Zelda's chest. "O K" Patty stifled a quiet giggle. "It's defiantly going to be your year."
Zelda made a raspberry sound with her nose in a way that only equips can make.
When they returned to skunk house the tub was still about half full of hot water. Jeanette and Fritz were just about finished cleaning up and Sarah was getting supper ready.
"Oh good" said Zelda "you have not pored it out yet. One of our gests leaked on me on the way home. May I wash off before you pour out the water?" Zelda smiled and added "If you bring me a glass of wine and a towel I'll finish up out here."
Jeanette winked at Zelda and hugged Fritz, "It is a lovely way to watch a sun set, and the water should be about right by now. Supper will be in an hour."
Zelda was asleep and gently snoring in no time the wine only half finished.
As the adults relaxed in the parlor Lulu and her siblings left to entertain themselves. But it was not long before there was the sound of a crash from the patio, followed by Corbin running through. "It was all Lulu's idea!"
"I don't like the sound of this," said Fritz as he got to his feet. "Young man, explain..." is as far as he got before being interrupted by Zelda's snort from the patio, and Lulu running through "I didn't do it." Lulu had a partial red hand print on the stripe through her tail.
Patty covered her face to keep from laughing as Cassie came through screaming, "They made me do it."
Jeanette suggested that "Fritz help Sarah bring some water, and meet Patty and me on the patio. I think Zelda is going to need a rinse." When she and Patty got to the patio they found Zelda soaked in dark red dye and smelling of hot vinegar. When Fritz and Sarah arrived they brought all three children in tow with old towels.
Several minutes of rinsing and drying got most of the dye out but left Zelda a lovely pink and black striped... Well the name that stuck came from Jeanette the next day during the egg hunt.
Zelda the Easter Zebra just seemed to fit.
Zelda for her part insisted that Jeanette's children should join the Senate's list of spies.