Ala'ni nestled into Celeste's shoulder, the woman who held on to the child smiled at Rita. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rita. Thank you for showing us where we might help." Celeste held on to the child and she looked at Xander with an expression which was half hopeful and half concerned. Would he mind her carrying the child? Celeste had to, either way, but she had no wish to cause friction. However, when she looked at him, Xander looked pleased and Celeste smiled a shy smile to him. However, soon there would be a problem, Celeste realised. Ala'ni did not want to let Celeste go, having taken that step of grabbing on. The feeling was mutual, in truth, Celeste had no wish to abandon the child. But there were people who needed feeding.
So, she sat Ala'ni down on the cart and she gave her a bowl of soup. "Now then. Eat all of that please, right here next to me and make sure that your foot it right here on my leg. That's it. Now, we're holding the cart in place, do you see?" There weren't, of course, not at all. Still, the child hooked her foot around Celeste's leg and that was contact. "Then, when you've eaten, you will be in charge of bowls, alright? Eat first though and hold on with your foot till then." The serious young child nodded her head but soon turned back to a child at the sight of the food and picked up her bowl.
Celeste got to work, and she glanced at Xander. "We're fine. I promise you. There is plenty to do, if you wish it Lord Krome." She was more than happy to ladle out soup and he could go and do what he needed to do, help in other places. There would not be any bother here and if there was, there were plenty around who would stop it. There were, after all and for all that she and Rita had teased him, things that he was much better suited to doing than her.
It might, or might not, surprise those around her that Celeste gave exactly one deep ladle of soup to everyone. No halves, no extras, no matter what. She was firm when it came to that; it was fair.
Once Ala'ni had finished, the child 'helped' and Celeste and she dished out food. If Xander wished it, Celeste was sure that Rita could direct him to other jobs which needed doing. She was also sure that he would glance across regularly and when he did he would often see the young woman he was to marry speaking to the child who seemed to be quite comfortable speaking to Celeste, but only by whispering in her ear.
When, finally, all the soup was gone down to the very last drop, Celeste scooped Ala'ni into her arms and made her way to where, coincidentally, Xander and Rita both were. "We have given out all our soup. How can we help now?" Celeste asked and her smile was gentle, genuine and determined. Xander, however, who knew her better might notice how tightly she held on to Ala'ni. She wasn't letting go any time soon.
