D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

--- Kat ---

"Say, Burnice, what do you think of Marigold's mother?" asked Kat. 

Burnice narrowed her eyes, "I believe we already spoke about Dahlia,"

"Actually, that's another question," said Lily. "When you mentioned her, you said she her name was Dahlia, but when Nixilei brought it up she was called Ivy," 

Marigold jumped in and said, "That's right! Mum is Queen Ivy but her name is Dahlia. Most people don't know her real name, so I'm not surprised that Nixilei called her Queen Ivy. Most people think that's her real name, and most books site it as her real name. That's intentional on my mother's part," 

"Oh… wait so why is she called Queen Ivy then?" asked Lily. 

Marigold shrugged and said, "It's just the first thing that came to mind when she started going out with my father. Mum is pretty important you know? At least, she was even before she became queen. So when she started dating around she decided to do it incognito… but completely forgot to give herself a fake name until Dad asked for it. So she just said the first thing that came up, which was Ivy. 

"Then she got sucked into Dad's large social circle and suddenly she was called Ivy more than Dahlia, and so even when she informed Dad of who she was, she kept up the… act I suppose? She let everyone think her name was Ivy because it didn't bother her at all and she wanted to keep her real name hidden… for some reason. It might've just been as a joke, but I don't remember the full explanation. I was quite young when I asked," 

"Ah, that makes sense," said Lily. [Not that much sense, but I'm not just going to SAY that.]

"Indeed. I thought she had three names, Mum, Ivy, and Dahlia, but I also knew a whole bunch of people called 'mum' so I thought Ivy or Dahlia was a second name so that it was less confusing for everyone," admitted Marigold. 

"Better then me," grumbled Burnice. "I'm pretty sure I still thought my mother's name was 'Mum' for five whole years," 

"Ah, I can understand that," said Kat. "I'm not even sure how old I was when I found out that 'Gramps' wasn't the real name of the old man who ran the orphanage I grew up in," 

"And she won't just tell you what his real name is either," grumbled Lily. "I only know it because I can see into Kat's head," 

Kat just shrugged unconcerned. "Seeing as Burnice doesn't want to talk about your mother… do you want to talk about her Marigold?" 

Marigold chewed on her lip for a few moments, unconcerned with the fact she was actually biting through the skin. "I guess I can. I'm just not sure how interesting it would be to hear about her. I mean… I love my Mum but parenting duty is shared between all of Aucitfer's harem, himself included. So I'd have to go over like… everyone and I'm not exactly in the mood for that," 

"I feel like she is avoiding the question," said March. 

"Well why don't you share what your parents are like then?" retorted Marigold. 

March shrugged and said, "My father is woodcutter and my mother is older sadder version of me that has given up on her dreams due to her injuries but pretends to be happy with how things are because healing all the damage would be expensive. At least, that's what I believe, she's a better liar then I am and holds fast to those lies. I just believe they are ones she's telling herself as well," 

"Well… that's a bit depressing," grumbled Marigold. 

March shrugged and said, "It is what it is. I love my parents, and I am exaggerating how sad my mother is, but she is… hollow? No… burnt out? The flames of her youth were destroyed alongside her arm and she carries a different torch now. One that I believe does not light the path like it should, but she insists she can use to see just fine," 

"I feel like I got lost in that metaphor," said Burgandy. 

"No, I think I got it," said Lily. 

"Well I think Marigold is still avoiding the question," said Burnice. 

Marigold groaned and buried her face in Vanya's shoulder at being the centre of attention once again. After a few seconds of this she pulled herself out of Vanya's shoulder and said, "Fine. I guess I'm trying to avoid saying that I didn't have all that much to do with my mother when I was growing up. 

"I mean, she spent a lot of time with me while I was a baby. I know she fed me instead of a wetnurse like some of my other parents chose to do with their children… but as I got older I didn't exactly spend all that much time with her. It's why I said Artema was a big female role model. I actually got to spend time with her. 

"Not like… all the time the same way other kids might have had… but I saw her enough. At least once a week. Still, Mum was busy, Dahlia Mum that is. I know she pushed back quite a few important projects to spend time with me while I was a baby… and I appreciate that. I appreciate the fact that she was there nearly all the time while I was young… 

"I just can't remember it. I know she was there. I sort of get vague impressions, and everyone assured me she was. Some even talked about it with jealousy… but I just don't remember it. Not properly. So I'm kinda torn on things. On the one hand, I understand that she took a lot of time out of her schedule to be with me. She made sweeping changes to her plans just to raise me as a babe… 

"But only as a babe. I, the person I am now, barely remember those times. In fact, because she pushed so many things back she was regularly gone from home for the next three years that I remember, catching up on all the things she put off. Which, as an adult, I totally get. I understand why she needed to do all that, and it's not like she didn't visit me occasionally… 

"But when mother did she was always tired. It was usually an afternoon here and there that she could fit into a busy schedule and she'd… well she would treat me like I was still a baby. That all I would want is to sit on her lap and just embrace her… which was lovely don't get me wrong… but she got reports about what I was doing so she didn't feel the need to ask. Her work was usually to complicated so I didn't ask… 

"And as much as I dislike thinking of those moments, and the fact I was usually annoyed after… damn in those moments? It was just like I was a kid again. I felt so loved and understood. I don't know how she does it… but those hugs were magical, possibly literally, or metaphorically I'm not sure. They were just… nice. Still fucking annoying once they're over though.

"So yeah, I don't know really. I love my mother and spending time with her is great, but thinking about the times I have spent with her feel really shallow. Makes me wonder if the way my parents spend time together is to just cuddle on the couch until it's time for sex, then she'll wake up and get back to work without ever saying anything,"

"I can confirm," said Burnice. "The few times I met her… Dahlia is very motherly and acts exceptionally doting. Lots of pats, fond looks and she provides a lot of food that looks home baked, even if the servants probably made it. Marigold is right though. It's quite rare that she actually sticks around though. It's like 'oooh, my baby brought friends over how nice. I'll leave you all to it then,' and you'll not see her again for a few months after that one sentence and a handful of snacks," 

"Can also confirm, that's exactly what she's like," said Vanya. 

Kat nodded and said, "I can somewhat understand. Gramps was always busy with the other kids and I ended up more of an assistant then anything else. Though by that same token I probably spent more time with him then anyone else. Of course, most of that came down to the fact I was at the orphanage a lot longer then all the other kids, but that's a separate matter entirely to this," 

Lily shrugged and said, "I can't really understand that. My mother has always let her opinion be known, and she's mostly a homebody. She occasionally does like, part time work if a friend of hers needs the help, she doesn't mind that sort of thing… but for the most part she's always been around when I needed her so I can't complain too much,"