The Secrets of Lore Seymour

87. Winning the Kids Over

The most difficult trial I will ever face begins now.

"Wha...what are you going to paint, Reegan?" I ask the freckled girl sitting with me in the art room. Isabella draws fairly elaborate clothing designs beside her sister, uncaring of my presence. I'm unclear if that is a good or a bad sign.

"I'm painting a paperweight for Papa," Reegan replies. The paperweight is a rock she must have found outside. She starts painting flowers and butterflies on it, successfully ending our short-lived conversation.

Holy Mothers, help me. I don't know if I can do this.

Across the room, Lore sits with the little ones. Initially, he wanted me to sit with them since Oliver has taken a liking to me, but I can't escape this insistent yammering in the back of my mind that I may frighten Ashby again. Maybe Angel will throw paint at me to protect her brother and everyone will become upset. My panic led to Lore agreeing to keep close to them while I tried spending time with the others. It's not really going well...

Darika has chosen not to paint. She's at the back of the room with Arline sculpting some clay. Apparently, she enjoys that more than painting. Sir Biscuits lays on the counter near them, waiting for a ball of clay to fall so he may play with it. Sir Biscuits has certainly laid claim to the estate. He goes wherever he pleases and has no issues with the children lugging him around. If anything, I think he enjoys the constant attention.

Missy isn't as confident. She hasn't left the second floor, but I've caught her going into the kid's rooms to sleep with them. She doesn't mind laying on the floor either. She simply hasn't mustered the courage to go down the steps yet and we've told the children not to force her.

Nalo and Hyun Woo have taken up residency under the tables, giggling while they scribble on the paper using colored pencils. Suppose it would be safer for them to have pencils than paint. Especially since Bailey is with them, laying at their sides and licking their faces or hands when they get close enough to do so.

"Are you into fashion, Isabella?" I ask, worried she's ignoring me when she doesn't respond for a drawn out moment.

"Yep," she finally replies. "I want to be a designer. Papa bought me a sewing machine last year for my birthday."

"She made me a really pretty skirt," Reegan added, putting a smile on Isabella's face.

"That's very nice of you. Do you make clothes for all your siblings?" I ask.

Isabella nods. "For Papa, Arline, Cyan, and Draven too. I made Draven socks since he wears his uniform all the time."

"Smart." This time, I managed to end the conversation without meaning to. Isabella and Reegan become focused on their art, leaving me to paint an awful hillside that no one can tell is a hillside. Nalo was the closest by guessing it was a lump of grass. That should explain my artistic abilities.

"This is going terribly," I whisper to Lore after we've moved from the art room to outside. Some of the kids are discussing what game they want to play, allowing Lore and I to speak in private. "I can't keep a conversation with them. I don't know what to do."

"You're thinking about it too much." He chuckles. "And this isn't only about talking to them. Having you around more and allowing them to see you like this," he tugs on my attire, one of the suits we purchased from Vexsis, "will help them grow more accustomed to your presence and maybe even like having you around. Although I have to tell you that you've already won over the little ones."

"R-Really?" I sputter.

"You convinced me to get them pets, Seren. They adore you."

"They adore the pets I helped get."