The sun was setting behind the hills surrounding Everslade by the time Sera returned home. Arissa looked up from her mending when her daughter stepped through the door and raised a brow at the odd barely-muffled noises she was making.
Was Sera... trying not to laugh?
"Good evening, dear. Is everything alright?"
"Hmm? Oh-- Everything's fine," Sera replied trying to keep a relatively straight face, though the corners of her lips kept twitching upwards. "Just got back from the Pony."
"Ah."
"Yeah."
After an awkward silence Arissa silently went back to her mending and Sera retreated into their bedroom. Time passed and Arissa thought for a moment that her daughter might've gone to sleep... Until she heard her burst out laughing.
"Sera? Are you alright? Did you have a little too much to drink?"
The young woman could barely get a word out between her giggles.
"Hahaha!... No, mother I-- ... I only had two ales. It's just--... Oh, there was this rude, drunk bloke there and I thought I was gonna be in trouble but--... Oh, it was just so funny! He had me sweating for minute until--"
The rest was lost to laughter and Arissa shook her head and smiled.
Young people these days! Well, at least she's laughing and not being sullen or cross.
Sera's laughter could be heard at irregular intervals throughout the evening and when Arissa finally decided to retire to bed she found Sera fast asleep in hers, with the primer she'd received from the elf, Cesistya, half-held in one hand. A smile remained on her sleeping face, as if she had laughed herself into slumber.
