The Aurora Immortal Dynasty - Chapter 216: Alone at last

[Ricalynn]

Wow.  Congratulations to VJ and Klara.  Happy Birthday to Sylvester.  And may I say, it's always nice to run into another Cynster Fan.    I'm enjoying your story a lot and I'm glad that Klara found happiness.

[saltpastillen]

Thank's you guys. Glad you are enjoying it as much as me. I swear it's practically writing itself at this point, Klara is very vocal about her opinions you see.

I love VJ too, I always thought he's got an unnecessarily bad rep, and once I decided to give an Immortal Dynasty a go he was my first choice. It meant a lot of waiting though. I was so worried he'd turn into a vampire before I either got to move him in the house or I got SN so that I could turn them of.

I think they make a great couple, and I'm so proud of that wedding picture. I haven't used photography a lot earlier so this thing really is a learning experience.

I'm really enjoying thelling this story on the forum.

[saltpastillen]

The next morning, after coming off all those endorphins, I wasn't as happy about being an adult. I had wrinkles! I was relating the exact position of each and every one until VJ lost his temper and told me to get in the shower. It was quite a tight fit but we managed to squeeze both of us in. He told men not to worry, I was as beautiful as ever.

That's real sweet of him, but I was having horrible mood swings and the whole day. One moment I was happy and working on my first masterpiece The First Immortal and the next I was rushing back to the mirror to make sure no new wrinkles had appeared. When VJ caught on to my antics he threatened to lock me out of the bathroom unless I stopped. LOCK ME OUT OF THE BATHROOM! How am I then supposed to check if the sink is working properly? Checking the sink on a regular basis in one of the few things keeping me grounded these days. What, with all the stress about writing masterpieces and maxing my career.

That night it got even worse. I was throwing up constantly (well, at least three times). I had my suspicions as to the cause, but when VJ tried to talk to me about it I went to my happy place. (No, not VJ''s arms this time. Another place with a string quartet and canapés and nectar and lots and lots of comfortable sofas.) When I opened my eyes again he had left - I think he got the point.

Like I told you before, it's not having a nooboo I'm scared worried about. It's the actual giving birth that creeps me out. I worry about the pain, the pain and mostly the pain. I told VJ that I hoped he didn't want a large family. Because first of all, the house is really crowded as it is, and second of all, I'm only doing this, this once. For the good of the Dynasty, since we would fail if I didn't have a natural child. If he want's more - we can adopt. I like kids more when they are older anyway, and not so screamy.

Poor VJ, I think my dangerous temper scared him a bit. He retreated to his garden and spent most of his time there. It's actually good that he's working so hard now, once the nooboo comes he'll be busy. I told him I'll get involved once the nooboo is a toddler - not before. Carrying it and giving it birth is hard work - I deserve a vacation after that.

As if two pregnant women wasn't enough, a sculpting gnome also moved in. His name is Michelangelo and he mostly hangs out in the outdoor kitchen or by the pool. He has yet to do any sculpting. Maybe he's on a vacation?

Despite all my loud complaints, I was secretly kind of pleased when my tummy started to grow in. (Yay!, now I get to pick what we are going to eat too.) Agnes has ruled the kitchen since her pregnancy was revealed and there is only so much Lobster Thermidor a woman can eat, don't you agree?

[saltpastillen]

After spending his childhood largely ignored by the adults who were to busy to play with him (except for VJ who happily played tag every time Sylvester should ask, which was not often since Sylvester seemed to prefer painting alone in his room). Sylvester took a final joyride on the couch.

He'd been successful in school, had managed to collect several trophies and souvenirs from the field trips he went on. Agnes wanted him to skip field trips so he had more time for painting, and Chris wanted him to go to scouts to learn some outdoor skills. Sylvester wanted neither of those things so he and and I came to an understanding - he told Chris he was actually going to scout meetings and brought any permission slips for me to sign. I felt a bit bad about going behind Agnes back, but let the boy be a kid! I did nothing useful when I was a child and look at me now locked in front of a computer 24-7 about to give birth to a Dynasty heir. (Ok, don't look at me, maybe I should have been more goal oriented).

The party was a quiet family affair, since Sylvester had figured out that he could skip a day of school if he had it in the early morning. VJ wasn't even out of bed yet, and Chris and I had barely gotten up in time.

Brace yourself for the next picture. As I predicted he looks so much like Chris it's scary. Only he has his mothers warm eyes and temperament. I don't really know what all that hair came from, he must have been saving it under the helmet.

In addition to the wild hair he also developed a photographers eye.

Time for the surprise present.

I don't know if Sylvester viewed it as a present - but it was certainly a surprise.

At least to Agnes.

And VJ too. I swear if he acts that way when it's my time to go through hell, I mean the wonders of childbirth, I'll lock him out of something. And it won't be the bathroom, that's for sure.

You might be wondering where Chris, Agnes devoted loving husband was doing while she was bringing forth the miracle of life. He was in the kitchen, no more than 5 meters away celebrating his adult birthday. We almost forgot you had gotten that old Chris, sorry. But you always seemed so young of heart (and mind).

And the moma's boy I was talking about earlier? Well he decided to side with his dad this once. Celebrating Chris birthday as if something far more newsworthy wasn't going on in the next room.

At almost the same time as Chris aged up little Rikard entered our lives. He's friendly and loves the outdoors. I wonder is he's going to be another carbon copy of Chris, or if Agnes finally get's to pass down more of her superior genes.

You might be wondering why I am conspicuously absent from all these pictures. I'll give you one guess as to where I was while this whole ruckus was going on. Yes, you are right! I was locked in my comfy, relaxing study. Sitting in my lovely, lovely chair and listening to music on my stereo with blissfully loud speakers. Ever heard of the expression out of sight, out of mind? That's what I was going for. Calm, relaxed and serene - yeah, that's me. (Think happy place, think happy place).

After getting hold of a comb and using it, Sylvester was a lot more happy about his new hairstyle.

He also got some new clothes. Red seems to be his new favorite color.

[saltpastillen]

As my pregnancy got closer to the end (don't think about it, don't think about it) I got more restless and I started to search for something to occupy my mind other than the impending doom that awaited me. The masterpiece was long and hard work, after writing well over 2000 pages I was still nowhere near finished and the impulse to just scrap the whole thing kept popping up. In order not to let my pregnancy hormones destroy what I had worked so hard for, I gave VJ the key to the study and told him to lock the door. Everyone else was busy working or skilling, and I was left with the TV for company. But even a couch potato like me can get tired of watching the home-shopping channel.

So I started to drift from room to room like a restless ghost. Morbid I know, but life had it's bleak moments now and then. I know some women claim to be on a constant high during their pregnancy, not me. I was ravaged more than usual by my neurotic tendencies.

Sylvester was not amused when I constantly interrupted his sculpting attempts to chat or ask what he considered frivolous questions. All right, I admit that a teenage boy might not have been the greatest person to bring my worries to. But Agnes was so busy caring for Rikard (and I didn't really want to go in the nursery anyway), Chris was away at work and VJ seemed to always have to do "just one more thing" in the garden.

My condition sent VJ scrambling for answers in various books about pregnancy and child rearing. I guess he was worried our child would have a lunatic for a mother considering the state I was in.

Those days were somewhat of a daze. And finally Agnes had had enough. One night they held an intervention and made me snap back to reality. She told me they had talked to a doctor and he had tentatively diagnosed me with inpregsanity. A condition easiest recognized by the fact that the pregnant woman started to show shared traits with insane sims, for example wearing their formal clothes for no particular reason or forgetting to put their clothes on at all after a shower. Need I go on? Women who are loners or neurotic have a higher risk of developing this (which is how Agnes new to take the signs seriously). 

A lot of social interaction and relaxation exercises were prescribed as a cure. I was also told that women who have once developed this symptom should not have any more children. (What a relief!) Knowing this really was a one time deal gave me the strength to get better.

VJ's, Agnes and Chris support was of course also a big part of it. But really, the knowledge that I would never again have to do this is, in my opinion, what really saved my sanity.

But no matter how many relaxation exercises I did, I'd still have the craziest cravings in the witching hour.

[saltpastillen]

Wooah, that went a bit dark.

I guess Klara had more issues about childbirth than I expected.

Does this ever happen to any other writers? That, the characters go places you had no intention of taking them I mean? 

[MissMaths]

Yes. Trust me, it happens so much. As you begin to learn a character, you write more how they would think and less how you think they think. It's really confusing. I minimize the problem by trying to make my Sims come across as the same dry, sarcastic person I am. But that never works. So they think how I think.
ANYway, sorry I've not posted for a while. Sylvester looks like his dad, but there's enough of his mum in there to make him gorgeous. That pic of him sculpting...
Good luck to Klara and VJ (hehe, Victoria XD ) on upcoming birth. May your nooboo be as pretty as Klara. And pink. Pink-wrapped nooboos are good.

[saltpastillen]

Sylvester was a different kind of kid once he became a teenager. Not that he became unruly or rebellious, but he was a lot more social than he had been previously. After one day in school he brought a friend home, a female friend named Sandi. She was a lot older then him too. But he didn't let that disturb him. Maybe he considered that normal having grown up in this house.

Agnes was still glued to Rikard. She says she has to spend as much time as possible with him now, since she wont be around forever (her elder birthday is coming up and she's starting to worry about how we will go on without her. I do too, she really is the backbone of this Dynasty, and the house wont be the same without her). 

Sandi: So you grew up here with only old people around? No kids at all?
Sylvester: Yeah, just me and the folks.
Sandi: I think we should head to the graveyard, I heard there's a lot of interesting stuff happening there.

Sylvester: Trust me, once they start, they really put on a show.
Sandi: What's wrong with her?
Sylvester: Just a case of inpregsanity.
Sandi: I take everything back - this place is waaay cooler than the graveyard. 

As you might have guessed I wasn't yet completely cured of my inpregsanity, but I was doing a lot better. I even finished my first masterpiece The First Immortal and started the second one. I'm going to call it Raising the heir. As you can guess it's loosely autobiographical (but I figured that since I'll be immortal, anything I write about happening right now, will probably be considered historical fiction later in my life - very accurate historical fiction, but historical fiction nevertheless).

As a matter of fact I was heading to my studio to write a couple more chapters when I got a funny feeling.

Both Sandi and Chris (who had just gotten of work and walked in the front door) freaked out on me. What's the deal with that? The only one allowed to freak out in this house is me.

Oh my aaargh!

VJ: Honey you've got to breathe.
Klara: *somewhere between a scream and a pant* Can't. You. See. I'm. BREATHING!
VJ: I've called the taxi and it's on its way. Do you want to change into something different?
Klara: *screams* I'm not moving from this room until this DEVIL CHILD stops hurting me!

VJ: Look at out beautiful baby girl! Hi Selma nooboo. Who loves you more than anything? Daddy does, daddy loves his Selmaboo.
Klara: Why is it still hurting?
VJ: Because you are having twins.
Klara: No one told me you could get twins!
VJ: We were afraid knowing would push you over the edge. Besides, Agnes told me you had said you wanted to be surprised.
Klara: There are surprises and then there are surprises. Oh, she's out already. Hi Emelie nooboo. You're so nice and sweet, didn't hurt me at all - unlike THAT DEVIL CHILD!

Needless to say, my mood improved markedly once the nooboos had left my body. VJ told me how proud of me he was, and how grateful he was for our two little girls. They wen't to sleep in their cribs and looked like angels (I guess looks really can be deceiving).

He also gave me flowers. Honestly, I think he was just trying to make up for not telling me about the twin situation.

So now we have a full house. Three nooboos, a teenager, two adults experiencing a mid life crisis and an adult on deaths door (her words not mine!) just days away from aging up to elder. Good thing VJ is still young and full of energy. I think we are going to need it.

[saltpastillen]

The good citizens of Sunset Valley have finally realized what a literary treasure they have in their midst, so the mayor decided to give me an award. Personally, I believe it was to get himself some good press, since an election is coming up and Vita Alto is trying to overthrow him (even if she is at deaths door).

Regardless of my suspicions I went to City Hall to collect my trophy. It was so nice to get out of the house - with all the wailing going on there. Three nooboos at the same time means chaos and anarchy. I was almost tempted to head to the library after the ceremony to work on my book in peace and quiet. But then I realized what day it was (Rikard's birthday), and headed home.

While I waited for the party to start (really it was only going to be a small family affair, but attendance was mandatory nonetheless). I posed with my new trophy. Don't I look fierce?

I had more then one reason to celebrate to since my second masterpiece Raising the heir had just been published and declared a bestseller. I'm now halfway through level 8 of the writing career. The book also helped me complete my final BlackOp The great novelist which had required me to write a novel that gave me over 1000 simoleons in royalties (only 1000? I made more than that by the second week).

Then it was finally time for Rikard to enter the more useful life stage of toddlerhood. Agnes came straight from the pool and VJ from the garden (Really? Gardening in his sleepwear still. I thought this would change once he he SWAPped his inappropriate, kleptomaniac and snob traits for family oriented, green thumb and gatherer).

Agnes was looking a bit grim. Maybe she realized that by tomorrow the house would have three toddlers crawling around creating mayhem?

Chris was really excited though. And I was beyond happy. Rikard's birthday meant my own angels (at least one of them is) would finally be more approachable.

Rickard became really cute. And best of all? He looks so much like Agnes! He's got her hair, eyes (but so does Sylvester) and I predict more her mouth than Chris. And his hair is soft and curly. If only he would have been a girl - then I would have got to keep a copy of my dearest friend for a long time.

After some styling he was ready to face life and the challenges toddlers tackle each and every day.

While we were snacking on cake he started in his reading. He's so well behaved! I'm hoping my little angels (terrors) will be the same.

Sylvester was not at the party. He had other priorities right now. Oh, the troubles of teenage boys!

His good friend Sandi had aged up to a YA, and a formal dance was taking place the next day. Many a young man would have just given up and decided to go solo to the dance, but Sylvester was made of sterner stuff. He promptly invited this young lady home after school.

Her name is Cari Ursine (daughter of Chris boss Jared). After figuring out she was single Sylvester managed to snag her as a date to prom. Smooth move Sylvester! She's older than him too, of course. What is it with Sylvester and his fascination with older women?

I took this picture of Sylvester sitting in the limo on the way to prom. Due to the massive amount of work it takes to see to the needs of two nooboos and a toddler, I was the only one seeing him of. Doesn't he look handsome? (Chris genes did good this time).

Cari was so excited he had asked her she even got a new yellow and purple dress for the occasion. Have a great night! And if you get in trouble for getting back after curfew I'll let you off. (Not that that'll ever happen, Sylvester is quite by the book). 

The day after Sylvester told me he had a great time at the dance. Cari and he shared their first kiss, and he asked her to go steady with him! He even got voted prom king! But since Cari wasn't voted prom queen he let someone else have the crown. This made him even more popular and he now has two new best friends to add to a girlfriend.

Here's his prom picture. Look at the cute couple.

[saltpastillen]

That's Selma, the future heir of this Dynasty lying there on the floor. I didn't drop her (I promise!) I just put her down very, very quickly that's all.

VJ is taking fiendish pleasure from my distressed behavior while Agnes is busy ushering in the next generation. Rikard briefly attended the party - but decided he had better ways to spend his time.

Once the girls aged up they weren't interchangeable any more. (Really, one pink wrapped baby looks just like any other pink wrapped baby in my opinion. I don't understand why VJ got all upset by me making that little observation).

Anyway, here are some closeups of the twins. Selma to the left, and Emelie to the right.

Selma has my eye shape and skin color. She will probably have my face and nose as well, she has VJ's hair color. Her eyes are a mix of green and brown - VJ is adamant that they look exactly like his mothers eyes. (Fine, what ever! You're just saying that because she's your favorite!)

Emelie has my red hair and face shape, but other than that she is an Alvi through and through. She has a beautiful skin tone, caramel eyes and what I'm hoping is VJ's nose. (I just knew she wouldn't disappointing me, she's my angel after all).


Selma is diciplined and brave. Emelie is a genious neurotic (just like me, yay!)

The girls get new outfits. Selma's is a bold red, and Emelie's are a more soothing green and blue.

Now here comes a whole bunch of pictures of the girls and Rikard that VJ insisted I add. You see them playing with toys and getting fed some strange and disgusting looking goo. Honestly, I never put them in the highchair when it was my turn to feed them. The bottle seemed so much more hygienic.

Ever since becoming family oriented VJ's been crazy about the girls. Always wanting to discuss their upbringing and how we should deal with toddler training. I told him I was really busy right now (trying to SuperMax writing you know? And that I'd chip in when ever I had the time). So he did all the potty training before moving on to talking, he's left learning to walk to me, apparently there is the least chance of me messing it up.

VJ: ...and one day the grim reaper will come for me and for your sister.
Selma: I don't want you to go daddy!
VJ: I don't want to leave you either honey, but this is an Immortal Dynasty and you are the heir - you have to learn to live with these things. Besides, my brave girl, someone has to stay and take care or mommy.
Selma: Mommy is scared?
VJ: Yes, mommy will be scared and my Selma will protect her, wont you?
Selma: Ok daddy, I will protect mommy for you.
VJ: I love you Selmaboo.
Selma: Love you too daddy.

After some botched attempts I finally managed to get the hang of teaching toddlers skills. Maybe by the time the final generation comes around I'll get used to nooboos too?

Agnes and me decided to utilize the yard for this, since Rikard loves the outdoors and Emelie didn't seem to mind (but she never complains about anything, she's a perfect angel).

Despite my optimism I was dead tired each and every night. Helping with the girls and writing at the same time really was taking it's toll.

VJ: So, you want to go out on a date tomorrow night?
Klara: No
VJ: How about watching some Romantic Rendevouze after dinner?
Klara: No
VJ: Do you want to go watch the stars then?
Klara: What do you think?
VJ: So that's a no. What do you want to do?
Klara: Go to bed.
VJ: *scoots closer* So, did I ever tell you how beautiful you looked in that nightgown you were wearing the other night?
Klara: I meant to sleep.
VJ: *scoots back* Of course, me too.

Even if I'm complaining a lot. Sometimes the girls really were to cute for words.

[saltpastillen]

With my best friends elder birthday coming up I decided we should celebrate in style and invite everyone we knew to our best party so far.

I bought the Legendary host LTR reward to ensure the party was a real success. (No, it's not one of my three unique LTR's, it's simply one of the best ways I know of making many friends with a minimum of effort.) Strategically I also invited only YA or younger people to the party, partly because I didn't want Grim to show up, but also because I was hoping some of them could be persuaded to be my new best friends. I'll need five in addition to Agnes - if I only manage to reach immortality before Grim comes for her.

Maid: *thinks* We'll see if he still thinks you're hot once you go all grey lady. Chris is mine - mine! Oh, hope I didn't say that out loud I really need this job (how else will I stalk Chris?)

Sylvester: Yuck, get a room you guys!

Once the party started Sylvester regained some of his good humor. Dancing with his girl.

Agnes decided to wave goodbye to her adult years with vigor. Even though no elders had been invited, some tagged along with their family or housemates. So Agnes wasn't the only grey haired one at the party.

Agnes really liked her new clothes, but the hair would only get in her way when painting or sculpting. It would have to go. Rather than cutting it she decided to wear it pulled back.

Her new outfits. I really like her everyday clothes. Maybe I'll wear a similar style when I age up. But no pink for me - it clashes with the hair! (I'm going to keep it red, have a young guy to look hot for!)

It was a wild night.

Chris had prepared several meals that we put on the counters in the outdoor kitchen and the dancing commenced all over the yard - and in the house too.

Here is me with my new friend Arlo Bunch. His sister Lisa (once VJ's girlfriend) is also a friend now.

Apparently all the people running around inside made the kids decide they were better of playing in the yard. They brought all their toys with them.

Sylvester stuck to Cari's side like glue all through the night.

Agnes took a pause from dancing to check up on her birthday wishes on SimBook.

VJ took the chance to reconnect with his younger brother Mirja. He was happy to be an uncle and said he could babysit any time we were going out. Considereing he is a witch, I'm not sure how I feel about putting my little angels in his hands. What is one of his spells backfire? Does a frogsim know how to care for toddlers or would it just scare them?

The party ended but one guest remained. Cari and Sylvester spent most of the night watching the stars and talking. He seems very attached to that girl.

[saltpastillen]

Look at me! I'm in the pool, looking hot, and - well, kind of bothered to tell the truth. The only reason I've entered the pool is to have hot looking pictures of me in my adult part of the museum. One day I realized that the next six generations will never see me as anything other than an old woman (and Selma probably wont remember how awesome I looked when she was a toddler). So I'm doing this for posterity.

Now when the toddlers can all go potty, walk and talk they largely amuse themselves. Michelangelo has been getting more involved though. He even took part in a race. Selma won, she's so fast, with Rikard as a close second. Emelie didn't seem to upset about finishing last.

If you have been wondering if the creepy maid was right about Chris love for Agnes, the following picture should speak for itself. It's good knowing a little thing like age can't come between those two.

Sylvester has been taking an interest in Emelie. He claims he can tell they are kindred spirits.

Sylvester: Grim will come for you and you will be forgotten.
Emelie: I don't like Grim
Sylvester: The trick to not being forgotten is becoming an artist.
Emelie: art?
Sylvester: Yes, sculpting and painting will make me better than immortal - I will be unforgettable!
Emelie: Does Grim like art?
Sylvester: Oh, forget it! I'll talk to you when you are older.

VJ is bragging to anyone that cares to listen (not me, I've heard it too many times already) about his success with the strange glowing fruit. I've only heard about it, not seen it. Apparently we aren't allowed to try any. If we can't eat them - then what's the point?

Agnes seems very comforted by this though, and tells me that it is all going according to plan. Personally I don't really care about what everyone else is doing at this time. I'm slaving over my next masterpiece Fighting for time about one womans fight against time to .... well, the title really is self explanatory.

Agnes already completed Selma's ice sculpture and here she is with her portrait. Once again we used the front yard's flowerbeds as the backdrop.

Here's my adult museum exhibit. Complete with writing skill certificate. I look hot in that photo if I do say so myself (and I do).

This is Selma's first immortal museum exhibit. That toy crocodile was one of her favorites (I think she only loved her sheep more).

[saltpastillen]

On Rikard's child birthday the toddlers decided to put up one final show - linear playing. Needless to say we were all very impressed.

We didn't have a large party. I was locked in my study working on my fourth masterpiece Dealing with your friends dying. Sylvester hadn't come home from school, he'd called and said something about visiting a friend. Chris was exhausted after spending the early hours fishing, and needed a quick nap before going of to work. At least VJ and Agnes took the time to celebrate.

The first thing he did after eating his cake was joining the girls at the play table for some fun time. He quickly realized that he was a bit older than them now though, and decided to get a makeover instead.

This is how he turned out. Like I guessed, he's a lot like Agnes, has her eyes, hair and mouth. I also think he has her face shape - but he needs to grow into a teen before we see that more clearly.

He got himself a makeover and decided to go back to a yellow based wardrobe. He'd tried to hint at that when he grew to a toddler but Agnes had insisted on blue. Now he was his "own man" and picked clothes himself. This also meant that his clothes were well suited for outdoor play, since he has the loves the outdoors and the friendly trait to add to his new family oriented one.

He decided that he could wait to hang out with the girls untill they became children, it was only one day after all. Instead Agnes pulled up Sylvester's old rocking horse from the basement.

Rikard: Hiya!

[JudesSims]

Very nice! I don't know how I missed this before, but I'll be reading from now on!

[saltpastillen]

Very nice! I don't know how I missed this before, but I'll be reading from now on!

Probably because I just got started. But than I have had more time than usual for simming, so I've been playing a lot - and trying to keep up with the story here takes a lot of time, since Klara likes to share everything that happens in the house.

It's nice to know you are reading!