Private Finished Let Me Go

Ms. Forestier, aka Celeste, was sitting cross-legged on the bed in jeans and a pink t-shirt as she marked the last exams and the class projects of her Home Economics students when she heard a soft knock and a very familiar voice at her bedroom door.

"Come on in, Ebviony," Celeste called out as she gathered up a few of the test papers scattered around her on the bed and placed them in a pile.

Watching as her youngest stepped into the bedroom, looking quite serious, made Celeste frown a little, wondering what was up. Had Shale been teasing them, or had Azure taken off to practice his magic, wanting to be left alone and undisturbed?

"Well, if you did leave Manta Carlos, your brothers and I would be very sad," Celeste said as she looked at Ebviony, wondering now what had happened to merit such a request. "And we'd really miss you too," she said, taking her child's concerns seriously as she put all her papers off to the side so that her bed was free.

"Why do you want to leave? Did something happen today?" she asked Ebvion gently.

Okay, Celeste thought. There was a lot to unpack here and she wasn't sure which was the real problem, the babysitter or the island's laws, or even both. Deciding that the laws might be a bit easier to deal with, she started there.

"The laws are for everyone, Ebviony. If there weren't laws on the island, or as many of them, then other people could also do whatever they wanted too, not only you," she started.

"Would you like if, say, there were no laws about stealing and somebody came in and took your dolls without asking?" she asked gently.

"Ebviony..." Celeste said in a gentle but firm tone hoping to avert a tantrum. "I know you are a monarch, and I know you want to be in your kingdom," she said as she stared at her youngest calmly. "But for the moment, you are too inexperienced and unprepared to rule by yourself," she stated reasonably.

"Ruling a kingdom is a lot of hard work. Do you remember all the things your mother had to do to make sure you and all others were cared for, happy and generally safe?" she pointed out, hoping to rationalize with them.

Celeste just raised an eyebrow when Ebviony started shouting at her, throwing a tantrum of sorts while they were at it. Letting them finish, Celeste pursed her lips together, showing her clear disapproval at they way Ebvion was acting.

"You are inexperienced," she said as she peered at Ebviony. "Monarchs do not stomp their feet and yell at people because they don't get their way," Celeste pointed out as she looked at her youngest calmly.

"When you can learn to control your temper, and talked to me in a reasonable tone, we can discuss you going back to Danaus to visit," she stated firmly, cutting the discussion short.

"Now, what about the babysitter?" she asked, her tone reconciliatory as she tried to change the topic to the other thing that was bothering Ebviony.