Topic: A Mothers Love, a Sister's Growing

CherubicMagic

Date: 2010-05-09 20:13 EST
Warmth spilt across a rumpled bedspread; sunlight. Their was a figure still abed, but the sun seemed quite insistent she rise and greet its magnanimous presence properly. Shifting out from beneath the speckled and gingerly cared for squares of a more sumptuous quilt was a mop of sleep tussled curls and bare, pale limbs. Lilliana angrily peered out, staring quite fearlessly into the vibrant light bringer? at least until spots began to blind and blink across her vision. Rubbing the sting of her eyes, the gypsy witch turned as she found her free hand resting against the empty space of her bed. The smile that came across her lush lips was a mixture of contentment and sorrow; gone again. Zayveon didn?t often stay abed like she, so the buxom was used to waking alone from time to time, but that didn?t mean it touched her any less deeply.

There was a time in Lilliana?s life that she would have reacted quite the opposite at finding her bed empty; it was a good sign, actually. Having to wake with someone in your bed meant you had to face the possibility of feelings, but if you had your tryst and gypsy-ed them to the door, or had your fun elsewhere? Well. No lover in your bed come the morn. It had been a good run, but in truth, while the gypsy kept her heart locked and her healthy body fed on the occasional lover, something had always been missing. That much was obvious though, but never so painfully until as of late.

Zayveon?s warmth was unnatural to say the least, so the loss of his body heat was felt all the more keenly. Somehow, someway, the draconian had wormed his image into her heart, scales and all; she had accepted him wholly and spoke words to him she?d not to anyone in all her long years.

?St?op tha? b?fore ya? ge? yerself all worse off.? Lilliana chided herself with a quiet chuckle as she moved from the bed. Her musing was warranted though; she had business to attend.

Stretching, washing, dressing, and giving a quick spruce about of her bed and her wagon, and the gypsy was ready. Slipping the golden key her draconian had so cleverly crafted for her about the thick pale of her neck, Lilliana moved towards her door, twitching as her pulse gave a little jump up in speed. Scenarios as to what she would say, and how she would say it kept replaying over and over again in the fiery buxom?s head.

It wasn?t that her mother, Melina, was a formidable woman; quite the contrary really, she was loving? If a bit overly loving. Melina had made it no secret she was keen on her daughter, her eldest, giving her a grandchild. She?d urged the same on Brishen, sure, but as the first born and the daughter, well? The pressure was a bit doubled. Seeing as it was her brother?s child she would be calling to her mother about today, Lilliana couldn?t help but feel the smallest bit of squeamishness. But she remembered Niamh?s swollen belly, and she remembered to love she shared with her draconian not ten hours before; his warmth was about her neck, living and breathing in that wrought gold key she held in the soft clench of her fist.

?Here goes?? She moved the key to the door, and the image of her mother?s wagon came to mind; a smile birthed despite her nervousness; the witch was excited to see her mother, her elder, her mentor? Feelings cast to the wind, Lilliana opened the door, felt the film of it?s magic portal pour over her, and stepped in to face a cat-ate-the-canary-smiling expression of her mother, Melina Garridan.

Melina Garridan

Date: 2010-05-09 20:22 EST
?A good afternoon tae ye?, m?child, I?ve been wonderin? how long it was gonnae take one o? ye? t?wise up an? come see yer mother?? Melina said with a shake of her head as she picked up her hands from the aproned edges of her hips, and held her arms wide for Lilliana?s swiftly approaching form.

Their afternoon began in a bout of hugs, smiles, laughter, and fond expressions? Tea and chit chat a-plenty.

?Ye? know I love ye?, Lil? m?girl, bu? I still think ye? foolish fer waitin? so long? Ni?s how far ?long?? Lilliana frowned a bit and gave a small up and down of her shoulders. Melina pressed, her lips thinning as she cocked a brow towards her daughter.

?Don? be givin? me tha? face Lil?, ye? know damn well. This is why I always tol? ye? t?pay closer attention t?midwifery?? Drawled the elder witch.

?I?m no? one fer tha?, Ma?, ya? know tha?? Can? t?ake all tha? hollerin? an? we?, an? screamin?.? Lilliana ground out quietly, but respectfully; she knew just as well as Melina that she wasn?t too old for a smacking for a word out of turn and disrespect. Melina, proud at her daughter?s manners, slowly spread a smile once more.

?Well no poin? in wastin? time? I?ll make the arrangemen?s an? tell Maddoc t?keep the head on the caravans trail t?Rhydin for Midsummer as planned. He?ll jus? be comin? knowin? t?expect a fine wedding, a birthday, an? the blessin? o? his grandchild.? Fondness touched each and every laughter born wrinkle across the elder witch?s face. So many grand occasions all wrapped up into one prime equinox. She shook her head as Lilliana too, smiled and moved about to collect their empty tea cups. The elder witch rose as well, moving about to pack her bags as she continued.

?Now abou? this man I keep getting? falcons from Vorn abou??? She began slowly as her old, keen eyes watched her daughter?s back stiffen almost immediately as the words left her drawling tone.

?I?s nothin??? Lilliana began slowly, then thought better and quickly cleared her throat. ??He?s a good one, Ma?.?

Noting the pause in her daughter?s tone around the word ?one? where a normal woman would have said, ?man?, Melina?s smile quirked a bit wider, and her brows a bit higher. ?Wha? is he, darlin?? Vorn didn? give me much, bu? enough t?know m? Lil?s hear?s been whisked up an? properly cradled.?

Thanking and cursing her too-quick cousin, Lilliana turned and touched the gold key about her neck with little hesitance. ?An? old race?? Melina cut her off with a soft laugh.

?Well I gathered as much, m?darlin? daughter, no one has a touch o? magic like tha? kind much anymore? Powerful one then? Good, can? have m?baby girl in the hands o? someone tha? can? protect her righ?.? Melina nodded, but this time it was Lilliana?s turn to cut across, her own lush smile widening as those molten eyes took a soft, almost mischievous glimmer to them.

?No? hands Ma?, no? all the t?ime? Ruby claws.? At this, Melina raised her brows even further; they all but disappeared into her hairline as she and her daughter moved back towards the door, key at the ready.

?M?dear, I dare say ya? have some explainin? t?do, bu? I?d much rather jus? mee? this suitor o? yers.? Lilliana could only swallow down her throat full of joy as they turned to step towards the soon-to-be-portal, Melina's caravan door... The very same door the younger witch had stepped through not moments before across impossible, countless leagues from her own caravan back in Rhydin. This time, however, Lilliana had Niamh and Brishen?s home in mind as she slipped the key to the door. Movement from the corner of the younger witch's molten eyes made her turn, a smile ripe to her lips, seeing her mother follow suit. You know what they say about great minds.

Knock!

Knock!

Knock!

Both witch?s hands rapped against the thick wood of their kin?s door, each face littered with an expectant smile. Melina, still with her own wagon about her, couldn't help but quirk a brow towards her daughter.

"Lil', love... Tha' suitor o' yers is quite the handy thing, isn' he?" Her gaze dropped to nod at the key; the centerpiece of this whole scenario, and what made this miraculous travel all possible. Lilliana, lacking the words from a suddenly dry mouth and a pride swollen heart, merely nodded, her now unoccupied hand moving to link fingers with her mother's for the short, impending journey.

Niamh Garridan

Date: 2010-05-11 03:23 EST
Lying a-bed all the morning was not Niamh's way. It had never been, and certainly not since she'd acquired another little life growing inside her. With symptoms varying from insomnia at the worst of times, to a distressing tendency to empty her stomach in an upward direction at the most inconvenient times, she'd spent the last couple of months learning that pregnancy was not as much fun as some women insisted. Her respect for her mother had increased three-fold - Carwen had done this three times, after all.

The dawning sun had found her hard at work doing the laundry, pausing only long enough to feed Brishen and see him off to wherever he was going today. From there, she'd moved onto hanging the wet linens and clothing out to dry, and it was while she was in the little garden around the back of the cottage that she felt the warming rush of magic - that unique touch of Z'ev and Lilli that told her the fiery-haired witch was coming.

The knock on the door made her laugh, and she couldn't resist playing a little with her sister-witch, unaware that today Lilli had come escorted. Laying her hand out flat against the gentle breeze, she whispered to it, calling on the reserves of power within gifted to her by her Sidhe blood. It told her that Lilli had not yet arrived, and she rolled her eyes, chuckling to herself.

Pulling her diminuitive form up onto the back porch, she moved barefoot through the house, remembering at the last minute to put her jeans on. It just wasn't done to receive family while still in your shirt and drawers, after all. Her hand passed fondly over the small pile of cloth on the end of the couch - shirts to be mended, wee clothes to be made. Who would have thought that the wildest of the O'Donovan girls could be brought low by love and family?

Reaching out, she drew the door open and stepped aside, leaning her hip against the edge of the wooden panel.

"Come on in, then, if'n yer comin'," she called to the apparently empty porch, and prudently shaded her eyes from the coming swirl of light that would spit out her lover's kin into the little house.

CherubicMagic

Date: 2010-05-17 13:29 EST
The voice that the Eire lovely, Niamh, would hear, was probably not the voice she was expecting. And while Melina had a deeper root to Goddess and power than her daughter, the elder witch new how to keep and curb it from probing senses much better.

"Nice t'see a woman w' dir' under her fingernails, even better when she's a woman settling w' yer brother, wouldn' ye' say Lil'? Melina said was the first to emerge, and though easily distinguished as a member of the Lilliana's family, all one would need to do to see the direct resemblance would be to see both witches side by side.

"Ya' know bett'er than tha' Ma', I wouldn' have t'aken a scar fer someone tha' wouldn' be willin' t'ge' their hands dirt'y from t'ime t't'ime." Lilliana laughed as the world began to filter in as quickly as it'd been blotted out by their magic-thick entrance. Spreading her arms wide with an artful sort of flourish, the fiery buxom slipped in past the hip lean Niamh had taken to the door, making room for her mother and the giant carpet bag she toted with her. She tucked that wrought little key away back down beneath the line of her bodice as she moved; safe and sound as always.

"Mmm... I still say m'daughter should have gotten me sooner, bu' ye' as good as any know the way her mind works a' times, eh?" Melina said warmly as she shook her graying head and moved to embrace the woman carrying her great grand-baby. "... but com'on now m'sweet girl, give Ma a hug b'fore m'midwife's eye starts appraisin' ye' and the awful state ye' got yerself worked to." As the elder witch spoke, Lilliana merely smiled, stooping down to pick up the formidable looking bag her mother had set down in her motions to embrace Niamh.

"List'en t'her, already warnin' abou' her barkin' an' bit'in' an' she's no' even go' her hug in ye'." The buxom chimed in with a cluck of her tongue, sparing a wink to her sister-through-her-brother-mister-Brishen.

Niamh Garridan

Date: 2010-05-18 11:16 EST
The sound of Melina's voice announcing her arrival through the swirling vortex made Niamh's eyes widen, and she cast a slightly despairing look around the decidedly untidy living room. If she'd known Lilli would be bringing her mother with her, she'd have at least made an effort to look as though she was in the midst of tidying the room.

"What a lovely surprise," she declared, though, her smile genuine enough as she took in her guests, closing the door behind them. Catching the comments about her hard work, she snorted with laughter. "M' the only one in this house does anythin' much tae see we're kept clean, fed and warm. That lad o'yers, Melina, does everything else."

Lovely as it was to see the pair, the diminuitive Irish girl couldn't help the slight look of apprehension in her eyes as she watched Gypsy Queen and daughter take up residence in the little home she shared with Brishen. The bag did not look all that encouraging, either.

Before she could voice any such concerns, however, she was caught up in that all-encompassing embrace of Melina's, almost disappearing in the older woman's arms as her own rose to curl warmly about the only true mother figure left in her life. The last she had seen of the gypsy matriarch had been in the dying days of last autumn, when her own mother had taken her place as Queen of T?r na n?g.

Smiling, she drew back to return Lilli's wink with a little of her usual mischief shining in her eyes, one hand laid tenderly against the bump that could no longer be disguised beneath a loose top.

"M'nae afraid o' nae barkin' an' bitin'," Niamh declared with a laugh of her own, drawing the pair deeper into her home. "If'n I kin face up tae Sidhe an' that red devil, I kin manage yer Ma, Lilliana."

All the same, she cast a respectful nod of her head to Melina as she spoke, chewing on her lip nervously. It was time to get her defense in first, before the scolding began.

"'Fore ye start, reckon I should point out that we didnae neither o' us know this'd happen when we bonded," she said firmly, a veteran of encounters with a mother who had plenty to say on many subjects. "Aye, an' we're promised tae marry 'fore th' bairn's born. I'll nae have this babe bearin any name that isnae Garridan."

Melina Garridan

Date: 2010-05-19 12:57 EST
There was a smooth, wrinkle free smile painted across the elder witch's face, and it came partnered with a casual, almost dismissive wave of her hand towards the state of the house. "Tis not a worry of mine, the state o' a woman's home. We all keep our own how we like, an' sometimes, when we've got other things on our mind, keepin' house can be the farthes' away..." Out of the corner of her eye, Melina could see her wild haired daughter fidget as if she meant to say something, and her smile only widened.

"Ye' don' count, Lil', yer no' pregnan'." She added, secretly delighting in the flush that blossomed across Lilliana's face.

"Hey, tha's no' fair, ya' only say tha' 'cause ya' know I think Brish is'a pig!" Lilliana turned, huffing as she waved her hands a bit wildly towards Niamh. "No offense, Niamh, I know ya' love him w' all tha' big hear' ya' go', bu' he don' keep house fer nothin'. Ma's just t'easin' me. I'm nea' as a pin, she knows sayin' o'erwise bothers the st'itches ou' o' me."

Melina, meanwhile was letting her eyes tick about the room, amusement still bright across her features. After she was sure her huffy daughter was done hissing her steam, the elder witch turned back to Niamh. Out of habit, her eyes dropped to the bump she'd felt during their initial embrace. A hand moved to her face, palm cupping her chin as her fingers laid up the soft line of her cheek, tapping thoughtfully one by one. In a motion that'd surely been learned by years of practice and powerful patience, the witch lifted her other hand outwards, let her fingers give a snap, and footstool from across the room took a swift, foot skidding trip to assume a space beneath her rump. That snap also seemed to bring Lilli back to her senses, because the younger witch set the large bag she'd been holding, down. The minute the bag touched the floor, it too slid across the floor, as if the inanimate object was eager to be at it's mistress' heels.

"I don' wan' t'hear ye' talk all tha' nonsense abou' stressin' the conception..." Melina, as she settled to her stool, set a stern eye up to Niamh. But no matter how stern her eyes, it was easy to see by the curl tickling the edge of her lips, this wasn't going to be a bad scolding.

Lilliana straightened a bit as she leant her own rump to a nearby piece of furniture; this one being the couch's back. Comfortable in her lean, she crossed arms over her chest, watching the scene unfold with all the sharp, keen eye of a cat. Melina, on the other hand, continued her slow words and motions, setting a hand to the underside of Niamh's swell, the other braced to the slender woman's hip, getting a feel for the growth and testing weight.

"Babies aren' born ou' o' duty an' proper plannin' no matter the weigh' o' importance folk may pu' on all tha'. They're born ou' o' the love an' devot'ion ye find yerself givin' yer partner..." The curl at Melina's lips wound a bit tighter. "... or they're born because, ye know, ye couldn't keep yer hands t'yerself an' yer knees together in any manner o' proper."

"Don' go feedin' her tha' second se' o' silliness Ma! Ya' know bett'er than tha'!" Now it was Lilliana's turn to scold, and her voice was sharp as any matrons. Melina, caught, laughed softly and nodded, conceding to her daughter's loud mouth and the words it barked.

"Aye, aye. She knows better than mos', I think all new lives are a blessin', even those we weren' expectin'." This was spoken with a slow fondness, a fondness that touched Lilliana's still pinched face and melted it back to it's original sweetness.

Suddenly there was something heavy weighing in the air between the witches, but it wasn't a bad sort of heavy, but the kind that made the elder witch give Niamh's belly a gentle pat whilst the younger one regained her posture from the lean she'd taken to the couch. Moving quietly, Lilliana came to stand behind her mother, slipping one hand over her shoulder as she placed a respectful bump of her lips to her mother's graying head. Molten eyes spilled their warmth up to Niamh through the lion-proud curtain of kinks and curls; her smile wasn't long behind either, and neither was Melina's.

It was clear nothing but good feelings were going to be shared today, or ever. Niamh and Brishen's lives were their own, and Melina was not one to question the good fortune of a grandchild from a pair that so obviously loved one another.

"Tha' story's one fer another time though, Niamh. Today's abou' gettin' ye straigh' an' se' up righ', makin' sure tha' babe's comin' along fine, checkin' wha' remedies ye have been usin' an' which ones ye haven'. Talk abou' wha' ye plan fer the weddin'... An', o'course." She paused, sneaking an eye much too young and mischievous to belong in her face, up to her red haired daughter.

"...findin' ou' more abou' this one's suitor."

Niamh Garridan

Date: 2010-05-20 17:16 EST
Giggling at the banter between mother and daughter had definitely set Niamh's mind at rest as to the purpose of the visit, and Melina's seeming indifference to just how she had become a soon-to-be grandmother was exactly what the small woman had been hoping to hear.

Inviting the pair to sit with her, she resisted the urge to bat Melina's hands away from her burgeoning belly as she had done to almost everyone who tried to rub it since Beltane. It was all very well being a walking symbol of fertility, but she'd really rather people kept their hands to themselves.

The comment about keeping her knees together was met with a loud laugh as she curled her arms comfortably about herself. "Now ye sound like my ma," she snorted, the momentary sorrow that came with remembering the mother she was unlikely ever to see again pushed aside in the face of the merry smiles of mother and daughter witches.

As to the searching questions about what she had and had not been doing, Niamh had answers all set and ready. After all, what was the use of working in a herbalist's shop, if you didn't make use of the knowledge and experience to hand?

"I've been drinkin' infusions o' nettle an' raspberry ev'ryday - just one cup, mind, I dinnae want tae go o'erboard," she smiled, lowering herself to the edge of the couch and grinning up at Lilli. "Ginger and coriander, lots o' milk and water, and ye kin see I've nae been sittin' still. Been throwin' up a fair bit, though, an' there are some nights I cannae sleep tae well, if at all, but is that nae normal fer ... ye know." She gestured to her belly.

Lifting her eyes to Lilli once again, though, it was clear Niamh had certain well-placed ideas about how to deflect Melina's acute interest in her daily affairs.

"As tae th' myst'ry man, well ..." Her grin turned impish as grey eyes turned back to Melina. "Has she nae been tellin' ye 'bout her eight-foot glowin' draconian an' how he kin melt her wi' a look?"

CherubicMagic

Date: 2010-05-26 15:24 EST
"Oh now tha's jus' uncalled fer, Niamh... Yer t'ossin' up all yer belly durin' the day an' then ya' go an' t'ry t'dist'rac' Ma w' all tha' nonsense abou' Z'ev." Lilliana bawked her reply, apple cheeks red and fall-ripe from the sudden flush that'd been slowly creeping up on her skin ever since Niamh had mentioned the words 'mystery man'. Why was everyone so keen on her love life?

While her daughter was distracted, Melina shook her head, holding back the smirk that Lilliana's flustered state had inspired with a fair degree of grace. For all her eldest's years, the fiery witch was still as bashful as a girl barely out of her bloomers when it came to letting folk know more about the man in her life. Which, to her odd daughter's credit, weren't many, but still. Each time was like pulling teeth, and this time seemed no different, save perhaps, it was very difficult. Perhaps that meant her cherub was truly beholden and swallowed up by her heart? Her thoughts and silent, knowing glances she sent towards Niamh all took a pause, however, as she heard a name uttered for the first time.

"Oh... Z'ev is it?" Melina ventured coyly, much to Lilliana's sudden slip from red to pale.

"Uh... Yeah, Z'ev." The younger witch paused, sending her pregnant sister a gaze that could only be described as 'death'. Clearly uncomfortable, but realizing she had to relent lest their time here be spent for other than what it was intended for, Lilliana sighed, and added. "... Lord Z'ev Zayveon."

"Aye?..."The elder witch couldn't keep her eyes from bouncing between her eldest and her newly found In?on. Without a dismissal or an approval, Melina gave a slow half nod towards Lilliana, her smile dark and sweet as finely candied molasses. "If he's the who's go' ya' good, I'm sure I'll adore him, Lil'. So..." Turning her eyes back to Niamh, her In?on, she clasped her hands together sharply and began her healer's schpeel a-new.

"Now... Niamh m'dear. Oatstraw grass infusions or tried nibblin' on basil w' some sauced red beets?" Oh yes, the remedies were coming out now. Melina would try all the basics first before more... influential touches of power might be exercised. She began to weave her family the plans for the coming year.

Knowing Niamh's background, Melina put her faith in nothing but preventing anything and everything from happening to her daughter in law during her pregnancy, the elder witch had soon set it in her mind she would resettle to the area for the coming month up until the wedding at Midsummer. Once the solstice passed, she would continue on with the rest of the Garridan Caravan when they left Rhydin, but would make regular visits with her Lilliana's help. Calmer for the change of subject, Lilliana nodded to Niamh as her mother spoke, reaffirming and agreeing her position on her mother's side with this.

"An' don' worry... Ma's already plan t'se' up a' a room nearby. No need t'pu' either one o' us ou' when she'd go' the means t'be a st'ep away. A' leas' tha's wha' she keeps insist'in'." Lilliana said with a shake of her head as she gestured from Niamh to her mother. "Bu' if ya' think I'm bad, Niamh, t'ry m'Ma, she's st'ubborn an' won' hear n'more o' i'" Shrugging, the younger witch ducked as her mother moved to give her a good whack upside the head.

"I've places t'sleep an' m'own space t'keep, young lady, I'm no' goin' t'be putt'in' no one ou', nor havin' them pu' me out!" Apparently the Garridan Matron liked her space, so her reasoning was a mixture of selfish and selflessness.

Niamh Garridan

Date: 2010-05-28 11:10 EST
Never mind death looks and mild threats, Niamh was thoroughly enjoying seeing Lilli so wrong-footed. It was only made all the more enjoyable by the fact that it was Melina doing the wrong-footing for once. Leaning back in her seat to enjoy the sight, she reached for her ever-present glass of water, sipping carefully as she rested a hand on the major reason for Melina being here in the first place.

Called on to speak, however, she blinked in surprise, frowning a little as she turned Melina's suggestions over in her mind. "D'ye know, I didnae think o'that," she admitted with a rueful grin. "Th' sickness hasnae been sae bad these past days, though, an' th' old man says m'in m'second trimester. Does it last all through second an' third, Mama??"

It came naturally to Niamh to call Melina 'mother' in the more emotive native tongue of Eire. Her own mother was far away, yet coming closer as the Summer approached, but Carwen would always be as close and as far from her trueblood daughters as the thickness of a shadow. So Melina would probably now have the unenviable task of being mother to the O'Donovan girls as well.

"I wouldnae dream o'insultin' ye wi'off'rin' a place here tae sleep," she continued with a grin to Lilli. "Not Wi' Brish startin' his buildin' on th' house an' all. He's goin' tae build a new room tae be a nurs'ry," she added with no small amount of pride. The blueprints were kept in pride of place on the mantel within good reach for both prospective parents.

Melina Garridan

Date: 2010-10-04 18:59 EST
"Att'a girl... Tis good t'know m'boy-o is doin' his runn'about family proud an' makin' his babes a good home." Short of preening, Melina resettled herself comfortably in the seat she'd chosen, quite glad on several levels, from the response she'd received from Niamh. Her dark eyes turned a bit sharper again, however, at her question of sickness.

"Depends darlin', it truly does. While I wasn' tha' ill fer one, I was fer the other..." Melina's words trailed slowly as she gave her fiery daughter 'the eye' to be quiet, but she smiled despite the stern glance. The buxom in question did look like she was about to disrupt and mumble something, but she managed to hold her tongue by clucking it once.

As the elder witch began to move her hands about in a slow, purposeful manner of articulation, she continued. "Let's jus' take all this as easy as we can unless there's an emergency, hm? Fussin' over pregnancy pains can sometimes make'm tha' much worse in?on, why do ye' think the men are still abou'? They help take our minds off o' the babe a lo' o' the time, even if tis' jus' t'yell a' them instead." Lilliana broke her silence with a hearty chuckle, and Melina sent her another look; this one much less loaded, and much more approving.

"... Tha' bein' said m'dears. We'll do a quick look'see now an' again every couple weeks, then every other week nearer the end. I'll be bringin' herbs an' food now an' again, and when ye' don' see either of is, Niamh, know tha' we're no' too busy t'come an' see ye', savvy?" Melina didn't need to look to know Lilliana was nodding, or that she was smiling. Those busy hands had turned their movement to much more practical tasks however, and were in the process of pulling all manner of jar, small ceramic crock, and herb from the large carpet bag she'd brought along with her.

It was obvious Melina was in the for long haul, and for better or worse, so was Lilliana, despite her crowing her ineptitude.