ULTIMATE DECADES CHALLENGE -1309 - FRI - ISABELLE'S NEEDLEWORK - WEEK 6 - DAY 41 - UPDATED DEC 7
THE CHALLENGE: https://i.postimg.cc/m2kK8RBn/morbids-ultimate-decades-challenge.png This challenge is based on Morbid's Ultimate Decades Challenge. It is a very involved challenge, and there...
At the De Baskerville Cottage, Parson Bernard had been outside tending the animals in the rain. His niece, Colette, had been in labor for several hours, and he had told Reginald to stay with her and that Parson Bernard would tend to the farm chores. Reginald nodded and stood by comforting Colette, holding her hand and whispering softly to her. Parson Bernard had sent a messenger quite a while ago to fetch the midwife, and had been pacing outside in the rain waiting for the midwife's arrival.
As the hours ticked by, and the rain fell harder, Parson Bernard became more worried. He had been feeling a bit ill all day, but had not mentioned it to Colette due to her delicate condition. If only that midwife would get here, then all would be well.
He said a silent prayer that the midwife would arrive in time, but it wasn't meant to be, and suddenly he heard a baby cry.
Parson Bernard looked up at the sky: "My dear sister, your daughter has given birth. This is indeed a glorious day. Let us hope that both Colette and the baby are fine..."
Parson Bernard rushed in the house and saw Reginald holding a swaddled babe in his arms.
https://i.postimg.cc/wxXMm8mM/baby-jolene.png
Reginald looked up smiling when Parson Bernard came in, "It's a girl..."
Parson Bernard saw Colette standing there leaning on the wall, smiling faintly, and went over to her, "Colette, my dear, you should be resting. I am so proud of you, my child, giving birth without the aid of a mid-wife..."
Parson Bernard held the baby in his arms, "Oh nonsense, Reginald, she couldn't smile at you already...probably just a bit of gas..." but then when he looked at the baby, it seemed as if the baby smiled at him, too.
Parson Bernard: "Oh my! She did seem to smile at me. Oh then it can't be gas...she is just a wonderous babe. And her hair is as blonde as her mother's hair. Such a beautiful baby with the eyes of an angel. What have you decided to call such a sweet babe?"
Colette: "We've decided to call her Joan...after my mother..."
Parson Bernard felt tears well up in his eyes and looked upward, "Oh my. Your mother would be so pleased. Baby Joan. And a most fitting name for this babe..."God is generous", he said and suddenly felt a bit out of breath. He placed the baby carefully back in the cradle.
Colette noticed the change in her uncle, "Uncle Bernard, you look rather pale. Did you forget to eat today? Come...sit down..."
But before Parson Bernard could say another word, he felt a severe pain in his chest, and clutched at his heart. He then reached out both hands above him and seemed to utter something, as if he was speaking to someone he knew. And then, Parson Bernard's body seemed to go limp. Reginald reached out for him, but Parson Bernard fell to the ground.
Reginald got down beside Parson Bernard trying to revive him. He looked up at Colette and just shook his head, "Colette...he's not breathing..."
Colette burst into tears, "No! No! Not Uncle Bernard. No...it can't be..."
On such a joyous occasion with the birth of baby Joan, such tragedy occurred. Colette sobbed uncontrollably, and Reginald could not hold back the tears.
And Reginald's horse, Lexington, had come in to see what all the fuss was about...and saw Parson Bernard on the floor, and the poor horse was crying, too.
Colette choked out some words, "Oh Reginald...why...why did this have to happen? He was a good man. Why, Reginald, why?"
Reginald stroked her hair, but didn't have an answer. Baby Joan started to cry and he went over to hold her. And Colette, with her head bent, headed out into the rain and went into Parson Bernard's sleeping shelter. She lay down on the bed and pulled the blankets over her head and continued to sob.
Reginald sent out a messenger to deliver notes to Isabelle and Francesca on the passing of their uncle. All night he tried to talk to Colette, but she just stayed under the blankets and cried. In the morning, he tried again, bringing Joan with him. He convinced Colette to sit on the bed, and placed the sleeping babe in her arms, but she just sat there, with a glazed look in her eyes. Colette looked at baby Joan and then handed her back to Reginald and then proceeded to go back under the covers again. And again he heard her softly weeping.
Something was wrong, and Reginald didn't know what to do. He needed help. As he was walking from the sleeping shelter back to the main house, he saw Rahmi Watson walking by. He called out to her. He must have looked quite a sight because she eyed him nervously. He quickly told her what had happened about the birth of baby Joan, and the death of Parson Bernard, and of Colette's condition. He asked if she could stay here to look after baby Joan and Colette while he rode to the Fletcher Farm and talked to his parents. Rahmi said she would stay, and that Reginald should go and not to worry about anything here.
At the Thatcher Farm, the messenger had delivered the news of Isabelle's uncle. Both Isabelle and Thaddeus looked at each other in shock. And then Isabelle wept openly.
Isabelle: "Oh Thaddeus, Uncle Bernard is gone. And he...he never even met the twins," she sobbed, "If it hadn't been for Uncle Bernard, we...we...would never have met..." she said sobbing again, "and...and...Katherine and Philip would never have been born..."
Thaddeus held her close and felt the tears run down her face. What a horrible twist of fate on an otherwise happy day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When Reginald arrived at the Fletcher Farm, he ran into the house. The messenger with the note about Parson Bernard's death had already delivered the missive, and William was comforting Francesca on the bed.
Reginald: "Father, mother...I need your help. It's Colette...."
Ian: "Reginald...what has happened? Please tell us that Colette is fine..."
Reginald shook his head, "No...she's not...she was fine after baby Joan's birth...but when her uncle collapsed...she's...she's...oh father...all she wants to do is stay in her uncle's bed with the covers drawn up over her head. And she's crying...she hasn't stopped crying..."
Gwendolyn: "My word! And where is the baby? You did not leave Colette and Baby Joan alone, did you son?"
Reginald: "No...no...a neighbor, Rahmi Watson is looking after them until I get back...but baby Joan...oh she is a good baby...but she is getting hungry...and...and Colette does not seem able to nurse her...and I'm not sure what to do..."
Gwendolyn: "If Colette is not feeding the baby...you must, son...don't worry Reginald, everything will be fine. I will bring some extra bottles of cow's milk and sterilize some bottles...and we will feed baby Joan that way..."
Reginald: "I am afraid to leave Colette alone with the baby...she is just not herself...and I am supposed to continue with my knight's training soon..."
Ian spoke then, "Not to worry son, we will come and stay with you. Gwendolyn and I. We need to get Colette strong again, and your mother will look after baby Joan. Don't you worry, son, everything will be fine. I need to pack our bags and arrange for the hackney to come and get us...:"
Reginald ran a hand through his hair, "Thank you father..."
William had heard Reginald arrive and went in to see him. Reginald saw his brother and hugged him fiercely.
Reginald: "William I am sorry to intrude on you at this time. How is Francesca? Is she alright?"
William: "Yes, she will be fine. She is quite sad right now over the death of her uncle, and I have been comforting her. And...and we have a baby girl, Reginald...we named her Amelia..."
Reginald: "Oh, William I am so happy for you....and Colette and I had a little girl, too. We named her Joan after Colette's mother..."
William and Reginald went over to the cradle, and William carefully picked up Amelia and showed her to Reginald.
Ian: "William, I know this is rather sudden, but your mother and I have to move to the De Baskerville cottage. You may have heard Reginald say that Colette is not well and we need to be there for them."
William: "How long will you be gone? The farm is so big, father, and Francesca just gave birth...and I'm not sure that I can..."
Ian placed his hand over his sons, "William, I know what you are thinking, that you might not be able to handle this farm by yourself. But, William, you can. I have faith in you. And this farm will be yours one day, son, and you already do the farm chores...I know you will be fine. And your brother Thaddeus is right next door...so, if you need help...he will be there for you..."
Gwendolyn came in with some bottles and a small basket of cloths. She told Reginald to go on home, and they would be along shortly once the hackney got there. Francesca came out holding Amelia then and Gwendolyn went over to speak with her. William saw Francesca nod her head, and then Gwendolyn gave her a hug.
Gwendolyn: "William, Francesca understands why we must go. Colette was always the one who was closest to their uncle, and it seems, has taken Parson Bernard's death the hardest. Francesca wants Colette to get better and wants baby Joan to be alright. But Colette and Reginald need our help right now. You will be fine here, William. Take good care of Francesca...she is grieving, too...and take care of our grandchild, Amelia. I am so proud of you, son...and soon we will all get together again as a family. Remember, son, family is everything, and together we can conquer anything."
And with that, they heard the hackney driver pull up, and they loaded their belongings into the carriage and were off. When they arrived at the De Baskerville cottage, they saw Colette standing outside alone. She was pale and thin, and, as Reginald had told them, had a glazed look in her eyes. Gwendolyn went over and gave her a hug and then went into the cottage with Reginald to tend to baby Joan. Ian went up to Colette and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Ian: "I know how you feel, Colette...I miss your uncle, too. But do not worry...Gwendolyn and I are here for you..."
"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never seem to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." Quote from "For Whom The Bell Tolls", Ernest Hemingway, 1940.
Death Rolls:
Using a D20 roller, if you get these numbers, then that sim dies. I closed my eyes every time I rolled. It was tense.
2,6,9,12,15,17,19 ADULT - This should have been done at the start of the challenge, but I chose to do it now. If Parson Bernard, Ian or Gwendolyn get any of these numbers, they die :(
Pastor Bernard 12 Ian Fletcher 3 Gwendolyn Fletcher 11
1 Birthing moms - If Francesca gets a 1, she dies :(
Francesca 11
1,5,7,10,15,20 - Babies - If Amelia gets any of these numbers, she dies :(
Amelia 4
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
And so, unfortunately, Parson Bernard does not survive. I am happy that I didn't roll this at the beginning, as Parson Bernard was the one who wanted the marriage contract for his nieces. I should have let him meet his other great-nieces and his great-nephew before he was "done in", but that didn't happen. Colette was hit the hardest with the very sad moodlet. Not sure if this is because Parson Bernard died on that lot; but she really did have a tough time. Francesca & Isabelle had sad moodlets as well. Two whole days of sadness! I picked Reginald to plead for Parson Bernard because he had the loyal trait, and I thought that perhaps that might help get him resurrected, but it didn't.
Because I don't use mods, Parson Bernard was "slain by a vicious killer rabbit," which is an option you can choose - testingcheats on - Shift + Click the sim, you get a "Kill" option, and this is the choice. I believe it comes with the Cottage Living pack. His cause of death on the spreadsheets is listed as sudden death, as in medieval times, they didn't know what a heart attack was.
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