The rain was relentless.

It just kept coming and coming.

Day after day after day!

Waking each morning to face the constant cold rain, damp surroundings, and pervasive gloom was arduous!

Add in the search for the gems and being miserable was a daily reality!

Mike was a champ.  He got in and got his hands dirty without complaint.

Our little Queen a rock hound?  Goodness! Probably not, but she did give it a good try.

Mike has little fear of the frequent thunderstorms.

This along with his resistance to being cooped up in the underground cavern is enough to cause some concern for his safety.

He has been struck by lightning a few times.

He shakes it off and just keeps going!

Where Rose, on the other hand, seems to come alive in her cozy little cubby hole.

Warm and toasty by the fire she is a happy gal!

Is it getting warm in here?

Perhaps you two should concentrate more on cooking the fish.

Now, who did NOT see THAT coming!?!

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As is his custom, Mike wakes early most mornings.

It is not difficult to rise early from this rocky berth.

He questions that he will ever grow accustomed to sleeping on the stone beds.

Mornings are a quiet time to go gather fresh fruit for their breakfast.

This morning the air feels different.  The skies are still grey but do not seem as laden with clouds.

Maybe the weather is changing.

One can hope anyway!

What a guy.

His breakfast eaten in solitude, he lets her sleep.

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The weather DID change!

180 degrees!

From cold and wet to beastly HOT!

The only place to find relief was in the water.

Rose and Mike did not seem to mind the heat one bit.  The sunshine was a like a cheery balm for their soul!

“Mike, there is a small boy watching us from behind that tree.”

Mike startled, afraid at first that the heat was causing Rose to see things, “What? A boy? Where?”

“SHHH! Behind you,” Rose whispered, “but be careful we do not want to scare him.”

Rose and Mike slowly turned and gave a finger wiggle wave at the small boy, who was peering out at them from behind a small palm tree.

Slowly the couple swam toward him.  Surprisingly, he did not bolt even when they got out of the water.

Rose began sweetly, “Hello, my name is Rose White.  What is your name?”

Mike, enunciating very carefully, gave it a try, “I am Mike.  Do you speak Simlish?

We are lost here.  Our ship from far away crashed into the rocks and sank.”

The small boy looked intently first at Rose and then at Mike, finally he spoke,

“I am not supposed to talk to strangers.

Come follow me.

I will take you to my mama.

She will help you.”

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They followed the boy for quite a distance.

Just as they began to worry that he might also be lost they saw, there in a clearing ahead,  stood a beautiful little house.

“This is my house.  Let me go get mama,” he called back to Rose and Mike.

The boy exited the house dragging his mama along behind.  “Mama come see them.  They were living out on Dagon’s Island.  They need your help because they are lost. ”

Mama fussed, “Boy what were you doing out near Dagon’s Island?  That is not a safe place to be.  Haven’t I told you  … ”

The small boy bravely exclaimed, “I am not scared of him!”

With a shake of her head, mama replied, “Boy, you are going to be the death of me!”

Mama looked up saw the bedraggled duo standing near her gate and her heart went out to them.

Rose Introduced herself and Mike to the boy’s mama.  She briefly explained how they got there and that they were trying to find a way home.

“Why don’t you two come on in.  I will fix you some lunch and we can talk more inside.”

Mama got right to work.

She set a fresh loaf of warm bread on the table and urged them to begin while she prepared the meal.

Rose wandered into the kitchen.  “This bread is quite delicious.  Thank you so much.  It has been a long time since I have had food not cooked over a campfire!”

“I am delighted to share,” mama said with a soft smile.  “We are blessed with bountiful crops on this island.”

“Where is this Island?”

“Now you go sit and relax while I finish cooking.  I promise to answer as many of your questions as I can over lunch.”

Mama pointed Rose back to the dining room.

“Thank you.” Rose mouthed the words at the young one that had brought them there.

“Olelo,” he said.

Rose looked puzzled.

“My name is Olelo.  It means coughy.  I have allergies.”

Lunch was ready.

Pan fried tilapia  .. I know I am hungry now just thinking of it. YUM!

Mama began, “Before I get to your questions please allow me to introduce my self properly.

I am Makuahine ‘O ka moku. It means Mother of the island.

I am the island midwife and I help other mothers as they care for their sick children.

I am married to Liloa ‘O ka moku.   He is a fisherman and he provides very well for our family.

You are on Kooj Island.  We are a small Island in the Gerbitz Archipelago.

It is a long ways from your home in Windenburg.”

“That is so wonderful,” Rose said.  “Where is the nearest port city?  We really want to go home.  Maybe we can connect with a ship there.”

“Oh Rose dear, I am so sorry we have no large ports in our small country.  Sometimes we will get a large ship to dock for a few days. That is not often.  We are quite remote and few visit here.”

Rose was noticeably disturbed by the news.

Mama wanted to distract her from her thoughts,  and with a smiled asked, ” So tell me all about you two. What is your story?”

Rose and Mike each took turns filling Mama in on the details.

“But you have no babies yet? You have been married for a long time. Why no babies?”  Mama had a look of deep concern on her face.

Mike jumped to the rescue and listed off the many reasons for postponing children.

None of which seemed to hold any water with mama

“I know someone who can help you,” mama said patting Rose on the arm.   Our Shaman has a special tea for just such a thing.”

Rose stammered a bit, “I am not so sure this is the right time for that.  The lifestyle here might be too difficult on children.”

Mama gave a hearty laugh, “I, myself, have seven happy and healthy children.  There are many children on the island.  I know I was there for each one’s birth.”

Rose conceded with a nod, “Yes I see that is true.”

Since he was feeling a tad uncomfortable with the conversation, Mike hopped up and “volunteered” to clean up the dishes.

He left the ladies chattering away,

He was brave in the face of many dangers but the thought of a baby scared him to death.

He paused in the kitchen to brew a nice cup of coffee for the ladies and himself.

It had been a very long time since he had coffee.

He lingered over the brew for just a moment before he drank.

Inhaling deeply.

The dark earthy aroma awakened his senses and triggered memories of mornings in his home kitchen.

Too bad it tasted terrible.

Mike, you need more practice bro!

Mama showed Mike to the shower and ushered Rose up to her own bathroom for a little pampering.

Rose sank into the hot fragrant bubble bath and the woes of the past few months melted away.

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Soon it was time to leave.

Mama had outfitted Rose & Mike ISLAND style.  Including special facial markings for King Mike.  Mama had insisted, “This way everyone knows who you are!”

She promised that soon she would take them to the market where Rose and Mike could trade the fresh fish and fruit they gathered for textiles and other needs.

Mama’s twin babies, Kuka and Lapuwale ran to say a tearful goodbye.  Rose gave each tot a quick snuggle and promise to return soon.

The sweet little arms that hugged her neck in return stirred a yearning deep within her being.  She wondered if she would ever snuggle her own baby?

As though she could read her thoughts, mama informed, “Tomorrow I will come to get you and take you to the Shaman for his special tea.  I have never seen it fail.  Drink it and you will have a baby soon!”

A teary-eyed Rose held mama’s hand for a moment, “Thank you for everything.  Mike and I are so grateful.”

Mama laughed, “Dear Rose you and Mike are Ohana now!  Ohana means family.  Island people take Ohana very seriously.  This is what families do.”

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“So you go to see the doc to help you have a baby tomorrow, HUH?” Mike teased, “Maybe I should get a little private practice of my own going on today.”

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In this story series:

<previous:  An Era of Charming Tales: The Island #1  / Next:  An Era of Charming Tales: The Island #3 >

Table of contents:  An Era of Charming Tales: (current) Table of Contents

✮✮✮✮✮ ❤ Credits ❤ ✮✮✮✮✮

Many thanks to the creators featured in this blog!

New this time:

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A huge TY to all the wonderful simmers who contributed FAB sims for my casting call.

I will add them in a little at a time (along with wonderful builds I have found in the gallery).

I am building the lost world of Gerbit Archipelago.

These families and builds will weave in and out of my story.

Today’s adds are:

 

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New readers …

If you want a fast track to the past here are a couple of reads that will help you connect the dots without having to go back and read the whole thing 🙂

The State of the Blog Address or “Where Do We Go From Here”

An Era of Charming Tales: Special Feature (Lemme es’plain .. UH NO! Too much! Lemme sum up!)