I decided to document the lives of generation 2 of my Masterson Family in their own thread, mainly so I could keep all their updates in one place.
Who They Are
The title is pretty much self-explanatory (I couldn't really come up with a cool title, and it's likely that the descendants won't all be redheads in the future, nor will they all have the name Masterson, but they do all descend from my original couple).
Whenever I start a new save, I pretty much always create a married couple in CAS. So it was last May when I created Peter and Caroline Masterson. Realm of Magic was new to me at the time, so I wanted to explore the Spellcaster lifestate, as well as the acting career and fame system.
They proceeded to have four children, two sets of twins.
Erytheia and Xanthe are the older pair, both female. Erytheia is from the Greek word "erythros" meaning red, and Xanthe is from "xanthos" meaning yellow. I always assign my Sims a particular colour and have all their outfits primarily be that colour, so I thought it'd be fun to give these two colour-related names.
I then continued the Greek theme by naming the next set of twins (girl/boy) Artemis and Apollo, who were actual twins in Greek mythology.
The kids were raised in San Myshuno, and they all currently live in Glimmerbrook. Peter and Caroline now have nine grandchildren!
Peter is a concert virtuoso, and Caroline is a Silver Screen Icon and a Global Superstar.
Marriages and Grandchildren
Erytheia married childhood best friend Alexander Paraskevas and they have twin girls Athena and Sophia. Erytheia is a chef and Alexander is an author.
Xanthe had a brief fling with a guy named Logan, which resulted in her falling pregnant. Logan wasn't ready for fatherhood and they split amicably. Her son is called Theseus. She later met and married a guy called Joe Baker, and they have a daughter together called Ariadne. Erytheia and Xanthe live with their families in one big house in Glimmerbrook. As if the chaos of eight Sims wasn't enough, they also have two dogs! Xanthe is also a chef, and Joe is a top mixologist.
Artemis is in a relationship with Leo King, and they have two children, Persephone "Sephi" and Cassiopeia "Cassi". They are not currently married, although they may do in the future. Artemis is an astronaut and Leo is a scientist.
Apollo is married to Calliope Papadopoulos and they have triplet sons Jason, Hector and Perseus. They originally lived in Willow Creek, before deciding to move to Glimmerbrook. He sometimes jokes that Glimmerbrook should be renamed Gingerbrook. He is somewhat of a jack-of-all trades and has tried many different careers, whereas Calliope is a successful gardener.
Some Screenshots
Peter and Caroline working at the cauldron:
Erytheia and Alexander being adorable:
Artemis and Apollo duelling:
Xanthe practising magic with her familiar, Athena:
Other Details
I play this save on the Long lifespan. I am British and therefore use British English!
As for SimLit style, I'd say I'm a combination of plot-driven and game-driven. I am not someone who extensively plans out my saves and fits the screenshots to the writing, but I do have ideas for this story (as in, kids' names etc). Sometimes I'll come up with ideas whilst playing. But I don't leave my Sims to their own devices with only the occasional intervention, I'd be too worried they'd do something stupid
I do have mods, but don't use PosePlayer; I just press pause and take the screenshot.
Comments
Narrated by Alexander Paraskevas
Whilst the girls were downstairs, I decided to practise some Practical Magic. I always thought it sounded rather boring, but Erytheia tells me that Scruberoo and Repairio are very useful spells. I also realised that I'd like to learn all the spells.
Helen and my mother decided to pay a visit.
"Hey Alex! You liking university?" Helen asked.
"Well, I haven't started classes yet," I replied.
"Oh. You're doing Language and Literature, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Have you thought what you might like to do?"
"No, I haven't a clue," she laughed.
"You don't have to decide right away. There's also the option of not going at all, or you could go later in life."
That day, Saturday, happened to be the Romance Festival in the Fashion District of San Myshuno. I ordered some dango, and Erytheia ordered ramen.
Rest under spoiler:
It also happened to be New Year's Eve, so we had fun watching the countdown back in Britechester.
Erytheia and I have been friends since primary school, and I'm so happy that we both feel the same way about each other. We're not planning on marriage or kids until after we've graduated.
Sunday happened to be Prank Day, and Erytheia dared her sister to streak! Xanthe isn't shy, so she went off straight away...
Typical for students, we don't have a huge amount of money. Xanthe's pretty good at painting, though; she's even managed to become a Notable Newcomer solely through selling her work to various collectors.
"So guys... we got the results of our scholarship and university applications..." Erytheia announced.
"Oh man, I'm really nervous all of a sudden," Xanthe panicked.
I opened the envelopes. Sadly, I hadn't made it onto the Distinguished Language and Literature course at UBrite - I'd have to go with the normal degree at Foxbury. Oh well. Naturally, Erytheia and Xanthe had both made it onto the Distinguished Culinary Arts course at UBrite.
(The familiar is Alexander's, called Ribbit).
"It's a shame you didn't make it onto the Distinguished degree," Erytheia commented, as we both sat down at the kitchen table to get ahead on preparing for our classes.
"Yeah, it's tough. It's still a degree, though, I'm not hugely bothered."
"Exactly. Plus, if you really fancied it, you could always go back to university in the future and see if you can get a second degree that is distinguished. It's totally normal for people to do more than one degree," Erytheia said. "Plus, I think it's quite fun that we're at different universities. UBrite is better, though."
"Let's not argue about that now," I laughed.
With the twins at class, I decided to have fun and play a computer game. After all, it's healthy to strike a balance between study and relaxation.
I had chosen three core classes, and one elective. Two of the classes were on writing and the other two were on charisma. I headed off to my very first class feeling pretty excited. I wanted to do the best I could; Erytheia had already told me that it was best if I took careful notes during the class.
Narrated by Alexander Paraskevas
We had a couple of visitors that day, Dad and the twins' younger sister Artemis. The 'yellow room' was technically Xanthe's, but she didn't mind everyone gathering in there for a chat. Dad's always been pretty outgoing, so I wasn't surprised that he happily chatted away to Xanthe about her course whilst I concentrated on my own homework.
Having a talented cook for a girlfriend is beneficial in many ways. Students have a reputation for eating junk food, but that wasn't about to happen with Erytheia around.
I felt a little... stinky as I left for my class on Wednesday, so I was rather grateful to hear Erytheia performing the Scruberoo spell on me as I walked through the door.
I really need to learn that spell for myself! I thought. It would save so much time.
Rest under spoiler:
That evening, the Foxbury Spirit Squad were holding an event at the Pepper's Pub, so I decided to go along.
"Hi, my name's Alexander," I said. "Can I join the Spirit Squad?"
"Sure! What are you studying?"
"Language and Literature," I replied.
"Ah... failed to get onto the distinguished degree at Britechester?"
"Yeah... something like that," I said. "My girlfriend's studying there."
"Ah," said the guy again. "You're not the first to have a romantic partner studying at a different institution. It can make for an interesting relationship dynamic."
"Yeah, it'll be fun," I replied. "Well, I look forward to being part of the Foxbury squad."
After learning the Foxbury Cheer, I decided to head home on my bike. It had been a fun evening.
(I have no idea why he decided to ride his bike indoors...)
Despite not doing the same subject as the twins, it was still fun to have a study session together and discuss our courses. I told them about joining the Spirit Squad. Xanthe mentioned that she was interested in joining the Art Society, and Erytheia grinned as she told me about her plans to join the Britechester Spirit Squad.
"Don't we have to spend time taunting rival students?" I asked.
"Yeah, well, we don't have to do it to each other," Erytheia said. "And anyway, even if we did, it's not personal."
"No, of course not. The guy I met at the event yesterday said that our situation isn't unusual."
Mum popped over that evening.
"Hi Mum, how are you?"
"I'm well, thank you, as is your father," she said. "How is your work going?"
"It's going OK."
"I hope you're working hard," Mum said.
"Yes Mum," I sighed.
"Don't take that tone," Mum said. "I want you to do well in life, that's all."
"Yes Mum. Sorry, Mum."
The funny part was that I'd probably be the same with my own kids in the future, but for now I felt like I was a small child again.
Erytheia and I headed over to the Stargazer Lounge in San Myshuno for a date on Love Day.
"Ahhh, this massage is amazing," Erytheia said. "If you fail your degree you could always get a job at a spa."
"Nah, I'd have to massage people's gross feet then," I laughed. "I'll stick to being an author."
Erytheia spotted her father working as the lounge's entertainer for the evening, and went over to chat whilst I grabbed a plate of snacks at the bar.
It had been lightly drizzling in San Myshuno, so it was nice to get back to dry weather in Britechester.
"Hey, you know what would be the perfect end to this evening..." I said.
"Oooh, perfect!" Erytheia winked.
We headed up to our bedroom...
The next day, Erytheia headed over to the Britechester Quad to join the Britechester Spirit Corps. She learnt the Britechester Cheer and also managed to get a selfie with Darby the Dragon, Britechester's mascot.
Just a screenshot of the lovely couple sleeping beneath their respective university posters!
The term was nearly over, so it was high time that I got going on my term paper. Luckily there were no classes over the weekend so I had plenty of time to get it done. I wanted to do well in my first term.
Narrated by Alexander Paraskevas
The night before our first set of exams, both of the twins' parents popped over for a visit.
"It's nice to see you, Alexander," Caroline said. "How is university going?"
"It's fine, thank you," I replied. "We've got finals tomorrow."
"Oh, good luck," she said. "It might be nerve-wracking, but just try and relax."
"Thanks for the advice," I said. "Hopefully I'll do well."
"I'm sure you will. Your mother tells me you're a smart young man."
(For those who don't know, Caroline Masterson and Anastasia Paraskevas are best friends).
I went off to my first exam mindful of Caroline's advice. I reassured myself that I'd done plenty of preparation and that the questions therefore shouldn't prove too difficult.
Whilst doing some last-minute revision for my next exam, I heard someone rushing upstairs and, just a couple of minutes later, the sound of someone throwing up and then the toilet being flushed. I had a horrible feeling that it was Erytheia, and I hoped she was OK.
Rest under spoiler:
"Hey, are you OK? Was it you being sick earlier?" I asked.
"Yeah, it was," she said. "I was just really nervous. Thanks for being concerned."
"Well, he is your boyfriend," Xanthe said from the computer, where she was working on a (very last minute) term paper. "If he wasn't concerned, that would make him a bit mean."
"Yeah, good point. But concentrate on your paper! You've only got a couple of hours left!" Erytheia warned.
That evening, I summoned my familiar Ribbit and worked on my magic. I managed to learn the Scruberoo spell, as I'd wanted.
At 6pm, I got a notification on my phone to tell me that results had been released.
Wow, they managed to mark those exams pretty quickly! I thought.
I was surprised to learn that I had received A+ on all my courses.
"Hey, how did you do?" I asked Erytheia.
"Two A+s, an A- and a B," she replied.
"Oh, right. That's still pretty good."
"Yeah, I'm not disappointed," she replied. "I could definitely have prepared more for that course. Still, it's over now, and time to think ahead to our next term."
Again, we all chose to complete three core classes and one elective. I chose a parenting class, Erytheia chose a painting one, and Xanthe (who'd achieved three A+s and one A) chose a mixology class.
The next morning, I had an opportunity to use the Scruberoo spell. I muttered the incantation and instantly felt much cleaner. Ah, such a useful spell. Having a bath was nice and relaxing, but Scruberoo would be handy when I didn't have much time.
That day happened to be Summer Festival day - and appropriately hot - so we all dressed accordingly. Whilst Erytheia was practising her painting skill, and I was working on some homework, the lights went off.
"Ugh, we forgot to pay the bills on time!" Erytheia groaned. "That's one part of adulthood I never really thought about."
After a couple of minutes, though, the lights came back on.
"Ah, good old Xanthe," Erytheia said, turning back to her easel.
That evening, once classes were done, I celebrated the day by barbecuing some elote and playing with the water sprinkler.
The next day, the weather was still hot, so I decided to challenge Erytheia to a water balloon fight.
The gravestone is actually of the old Masterson family cat, Coco. Erytheia had been invited to the family home in San Myshuno, and when she got there I was surprised to see Coco's urn there, as I thought urns/tombstones didn't appear unless the Sim or pet died on screen. Erytheia decided to take it back to Britechester for now. I'm planning to build a cemetery lot somewhere, where I'll be able to put the tombstone permanently.
Narrated by Alexander Paraskevas
In what felt like no time at all, it was nearly the end of term again. We gathered in the kitchen for a joint homework session.
Like most students, I didn't particularly enjoy writing essays. I know this sounds daft for a Language and Literature student to say... I didn't mind the actual classes themselves. The content was pretty interesting. Perhaps it's more that I knew that these essays were going to be formally marked and counted towards my degree, and I just felt a little like mine wouldn't be any good. Given my four A+s at the end of the term, my worry was clearly somewhat irrational, but then worries often are.
I also had to do a presentation that term. Yet again something I disliked... PUBLIC SPEAKING. Given that I fancied being an author and anticipated working from home quite a lot, I wasn't exactly thrilled about it. Then again, there was a guy in my class who wanted to be a lawyer and still didn't like public speaking much. And that guy was going to have to speak in public for a living...
Rest under spoiler:
We decided to head over to the Laurel Library for a change of atmosphere. I was surprised at how small it looked; I hoped we'd be able to find somewhere to sit.
Thankfully, the library was pretty empty, and we all sat down to do some work together. It definitely felt like a good place to study; our house was comfortable, but we could be easily distracted.
As well as a couple of computers, there were also three research machines. I needed to work on my term paper, but other people always seemed to be sitting there. Finally, I was able to grab a seat, and Erytheia sat down to use a research machine to study for one of her classes.
Back at home, I continued to work on my paper when...
"Dang it!" I yelled.
"What?" Xanthe asked.
"I got a blue screen of death," I explained. "And I was working on my term paper. Ugh, I hope it saved..."
Xanthe waved her arms and uttered the Repairio spell. Whoomph! I was soon able to switch on the computer, and was relieved to notice that my work had been saved.
"You need to learn Repairio," Xanthe grinned. "What if Erytheia is out at work one day and you're left home alone?"
"I'm going to learn it, don't worry," I smiled. "But university work is my priority right now."
"Fair enough. I need to go and work on my homework right now."
Monday was finals day. After my first exam of the day, which I thought had gone OK, I realised that I should go and deliver my presentation. I felt nervous as I clutched my notes.
You'll be fine, you've done plenty of preparation, I thought.
Later that evening...
"So, how did you do, Erytheia?" Xanthe asked.
"All A+s this time," she grinned. "Thank Plumbob for that. I'd have been so annoyed if I'd earned below an A, I put in so much effort."
"Yeah, I understand," Xanthe nodded. "I got all A+s too. How did you do, Alex?" she added.
"Only two A+s for me," I replied. "But the others were As, and I still have a A+ GPA overall."
"Just one term left!" Erytheia grinned. "What elective are you doing this term?"
"I went for a comedy one. I want to try something new."
"Oh cool. Sounds like a laugh, har har har. I'm doing the acting one."
Part 2: Ahh I totally forgot about the riding bike indoors glitch. That was a good laugh. I disabled bikes and have my sims run across the foxbury campus when their classes start lol. Time management wise that’s a nightmare, tbh. Also, moms. That scene was too relatable!
Part 4: who’s the poor lawyer student who doesn’t like public speaking but chose his field anyway? I feel for him already poor guy. Does Alexander not like magic? He’s been talking about learning magic spells since the beginning of his degree but never went ahead. Maybe he doesn't like to cut corners. He's pretty high achieving after all.
If you’re not high enough in a certain skill, you can be rejected from the distinguished degree but can do the normal one. I mostly played with the Masterson family before university. I created Alexander (and his family) in CAS in order for him to be a friend and later boyfriend for Erytheia. I moved the family into a lot, and played with them briefly a couple of times, but I was primarily with the Mastersons.
I kind of made up the lawyer guy, he’s not an actual person! I just created him for the narrative.
Alexander does like magic but his priority is his degree right now. After all, he’s only at university for a limited time but he’s got his whole adult life to become a virtuoso Spellcaster. He has actually learned a couple of the other spells in Mischief and Untamed magic, but there’s more opportunity to use Scruberoo and Repairio I’ve not explicitly said this, but perhaps when he was a teen he was naturally more interested in Mischief and Untamed magic and thought Practical was a bit boring. But the twins convinced him of the usefulness of Practical magic.
Alexander has actually had three magic duels with Erytheia so far, and won two of them despite being at a lower magic rank than her!
University Life: Graduation
Narrated by Alexander Paraskevas
That Friday evening, the Spice Festival was being held in San Myshuno. Wanting a break from studies and a change in atmosphere, we decided to visit. It also happened to be "Night on the Town", when businesses offered customers free food and drink.
"I love the colourful atmosphere of this place," Erytheia said as we queued for drinks. "So many amazing smells and sights."
"I know. There's so much to see and do here," Xanthe replied.
"So, how are you feeling about Monday and exams?" I asked.
"About as confident as I can be. I mean, I've mastered both cooking and gourmet cooking so that should help a lot. I'm not going to master acting in just a couple of days, but I'm not so bothered about how I do in my elective class."
"Yeah, I feel the same way. I mean, I'd like to do well, obviously, but I'm not going to get upset if I don't get an A+."
The next day, I decided it was time to get studying, first by working on my presentation and then by working on my acting skill. I felt rather ridiculous reciting lines dramatically to myself in front of a mirror.
Rest under spoiler:
At least I just have to submit a term paper for my acting class rather than do a practical exam, I thought as I sat down at the computer. I wasn't entirely convinced that I was any good at acting. Caroline was over visiting, but of course she couldn't help me out with my paper or it could be regarded as cheating.
Neither Erytheia nor I had really dedicated much time to our respective Spirit Squads, but she had at least purchased a t-shirt and jogging bottoms. Aware that this would be her final opportunity to get involved, Erytheia headed over to the UBrite quad for their Game Day celebration.
I had recently had a few incidents where my spellcasting hadn't succeeded, so I was happy that I was able to fix the coffee machine. No more spending money on a mechanic for me!
And... now it was the end of our time at university. That afternoon, Mum showed up.
"Hello, honey!" she said, embracing me. "Your final day of university! Why, it feels like only yesterday you started at primary school."
"I know. Time flies by so fast. It doesn't seem real sometimes."
"It'll feel even less real when you have children of your own... if you want children, of course."
"Oh, I do. You'll get grandchildren at some point."
"I don't feel old enough to be a grandmother," Mum laughed. "But I look forward to it."
That evening, once we were all finished, Erytheia cooked us all lobster tortellini.
"Mm, this is amazing," I mumbled.
"Alexander! Don't talk with your mouth full!" Mum scolded, and the twins laughed.
The next morning was graduation. We all donned our robes and caps and went to our respective stadiums.
Chapter One: A Very Important Question
Narrated by Alexander Paraskevas
Erytheia and I moved into 930 Medina Studios, whilst Xanthe moved back in with her parents temporarily. Of course, the first thing both of us did was to get jobs. Both of us had managed to graduate with honours (as had Xanthe) so we both received a real boost.
(And yes, I made many of their furnishings red )
Helen popped over for a chat.
"So, you've graduated now! Wow, it feels so odd that I've got a grown-up, adult brother," she said.
"Well, it's nearly your own birthday," I replied. "Any ideas for future plans?"
"I'm not sure yet," she said. "There's so much out there."
"You don't have to have a set idea about a job," I advised. "Plenty of people start off in one area and then retrain later in life."
"That's very true," she replied.
"Anyway... I was planning to propose to Erytheia today," I whispered, looking round. "I'm not sure of the ideal place to do it."
"Oh! How exciting!" she grinned. "Well, she's so in love with you I don't think she'll care about the location... but how about the Magic Realm?"
"Yes! What a great idea!" I exclaimed.
So, under the pretext of having a magic duel, I invited Erytheia to the Magic Realm. To my horror, both my own mother and Erytheia's mother were hanging around outside HQ, so I went to the gardens.
"Hey, wait, the duelling grounds are that way," Erytheia frowned as she stood in front of me.
Okay. Keep it cool, I thought.
"Alex? Are you OK?"
"Erytheia Rose Masterson," I said, slowly sinking to one knee.
Now it was her turn to place her hand over her heart as she clocked what I was doing.
"Erytheia Rose Masterson," I repeated, "you are the most beautiful woman I know. We've been so happy together, but will you make me even happier and become my wife?"
"OHMYPLUMBOB YES!" she screamed as she slipped the ring onto her finger. After a quick kiss, she leapt into my arms.
"Of course I'll marry you, Alexander James Paraskevas!"
That night, back at the apartment...
"So, where shall we get married?" she asked. "It's winter right now, I don't fancy freezing in the middle of Myshuno Meadows."
"No, neither do I. So, I thought we could get married in Sulani," I replied. "It's nicer weather over there in winter. Given that it's Winterfest tomorrow, why don't we get married the day after?"
"Great idea!"
With that in mind, we booked to get married at 3pm the day after Winterfest, in a lovely beach location.
So, they've graduated, and two of them are getting married soon! Do you have a particular way in mind for choosing heirs, or are you going to pick the sim you like as the story goes on?
Also, is spellcasting common knowledge here, or do they keep their magical abilities hidden?
Looking forward to the wedding!
Winter's Alchemy | Britechester After Dark - Forum thread
I don’t actually play legacy challenge type saves. It’s more a family story/saga. There are no rules or points I’m counting or anything like that. Although, of course, keeping up with everyone as the generations go on will be almost impossible haha! I’ll have to think more as I go on. I am planning for all the Masterson siblings to eventually have children.
I don’t really have much lore in my game, as regards magical abilities. I suppose they mainly keep their abilities hidden, if only because public spellcasting can mess with their reputation. There’s no history of antagonism between humans and Spellcasters in my game.
The bloodline right now is fairly weak, maybe as the generations advance and the bloodline gets stronger I’ll think of more ideas.
https://lucyhenleysimsstories.blogspot.com/
I'm still thinking about how to title each post going forwards. I've taken a self-imposed break as I'm waiting for my new PC to arrive, and have been planning upcoming storylines. Obviously I don't want to reveal what I have planned! But things may change again in the future. I don't want things to get too confusing, of course.
This is great! I adore your blog's colour scheme, coral is my favourite colour. Will you be moving the posts on this thread over to there?
New PC is exciting too! I'm looking forward to seeing what is in store for this family. A wedding, I hope? Fingers crossed...
Winter's Alchemy | Britechester After Dark - Forum thread
Erytheia and Alexander's Story
Chapter Two: Winterfest
Narrated by Erytheia Masterson
Winter was always freezing, but I had two things to look forward to - Winterfest and my wedding. On Winterfest morning, I made breakfast.
Alexander and I decided to decorate the tree together. After growing up in a fairly big family, it felt rather quiet with just the two of us, but it's always lovely to spend time with my fiancé, of course!
Winterfest is usually a family affair, right? Aside from presents and delicious food, it's always great to spend time with family. So, I invited various members of both my family and Alexander's over for a few hours.
"It's weird to be back here," Mum said as she sat on the sofa beside me.
"Back?" I queried.
"Oh, didn't you know? You and Xanthe were born here, in that small room opposite the front door. We moved to Torendi Tower Penthouse when we realised that having two energetic toddlers in a small flat wasn't such a great idea."
"Oh, wow! I did feel an odd sense of deja vu, actually. How odd."
I went into the small room, and sure enough there were two strips of carpet still there, one red and one yellow. The emptiness and smallness of the room was strangely sad.
"How come you're in here?" Xanthe asked.
"This is the very room we were born in," I explained.
"Oh my gosh! That is odd! And you had no idea when you moved in?"
"No. Anyway, can I show you my wedding dress?"
I quickly slipped into it.
"Oh, that is beautiful," Xanthe said approvingly. "It really suits you."
Once everyone had gone, there was a knock on the door from someone who I assumed was a neighbour.
"Hello, my name is Salim Benali," he announced.
"Lovely to meet you. My name is Erytheia Masterson."
"Oh! You're one of Peter and Caroline's kids! Yes, they were once my neighbours too. How strange to have a Masterson back here. Are you living alone?"
"No, I live with my fiance, Alexander. We're getting married tomorrow."
"Oh, congratulations! I hope you two will be very happy together."
"Thank you, Salim!"
Later, we opened presents. I received a spice rack, always useful when you're a chef.
Chapter Three: THE WEDDING!
Narrated by Erytheia Masterson
As I stood on the beach at Key Point, I silently congratulated Alexander for choosing this place as our wedding location. Despite it being winter, the weather was warm. Marrying in Myshuno Meadows, as his parents had done, wouldn't have been much fun if our teeth had been chattering whilst saying our vows.
Alexander went to stand under the arch as I greeted my family.
"How have I got a daughter old enough to be getting married?" Mum asked.
"Oh, don't," Dad joked. "She'll be having children next, and we'll be GRANDPARENTS."
"Hey, don't leave my brother waiting too long!" Helen grinned.
I walked down the aisle, feeling a little nervous, but mostly excited.
"Oh, darling, you look beautiful," Alexander smiled.
"And you look pretty handsome yourself."
"Erytheia Rose Masterson, I take you to be my lawfully wedded wife," Alexander said as he placed a ring on my finger.
"Alexander James Paraskevas, I take you to be my lawfully wedded husband," I replied, repeating the gesture.
And, of course, every couple's favourite bit of the day...
Later...
"Darling, what have you been doing?" I asked.
"Swimming! The water's great," he explained.
"Don't you want some cake?"
"Ooh, yes please."
We each took a bite; it tasted delicious.
"I'll come and join you in a minute. I want to chat to my family first, though," I said.
"Yeah, good idea."
And so...
"Ooh, you're right, this is lovely," I said.
"Not many couples get to swim at their own wedding," Alexander replied. "I don't think I'd want to live here full time, though. I like snow in winter."
"Yeah, same," I agreed. "We can always come here during the summer."
Xanthe's Story
Chapter One: The Baking Club
Narrated by (of course) Xanthe Masterson
Ahh, my first time in chef's whites. All the hard work at university was worth it. I'd also be seeing Erytheia again... the fact that we now lived apart made very little practical difference in our lives, as we'd be seeing each other at work and likely all the time outside work, too.
The city council had recently decided that we should all try and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, and had instigated "Neighbourhood Action Plans". Every week, we could vote on a new initiative. I was definitely intrigued by the 'Foodies Unite' one, as well as the one about the creative arts.
I had set up a baking club, and decided to host the inaugural meeting at the Piece of Cake Bakery in Magnolia Promenade on New Year's Eve. I went to greet the only male member of the club.
"Hey there, my name's Xanthe and I'm the club leader," I said.
"Oh, hello. My name's Logan Chase," he replied.
"Nice to meet you. I hope you'll have fun at Baking Mad meetings," I smiled.
Rest under spoiler:
"Yeah... we're not going to be able to get much done," she agreed.
I took out my phone and looked for a suitable alternative. The other club members agreed, and we soon left Piece of Cake Bakery.
Luckily I found an ideal location in Newcrest. It seemed well-equipped, and I immediately set about making fudge bars.
Back at home, I decided to move out and live on my own. As much as I loved my parents, it was probably a little odd to live with them for the rest of my life.
The flat was small and quite sparsely furnished, but it was only a starter place after all.
Celebrating the New Year on my own sounded a little miserable, so I decided to see if Logan wanted to come over. My twin would have been the obvious choice, but I decided she could celebrate with her husband, and I wanted to get to know Logan better. He was pretty good-looking...
After waiting for a while, I guessed that he might be at the Romance Festival that was being held outside.
"Hey! How are you?" I asked.
"I'm doing well, thank you," he replied. He seemed a little nervous, but who wasn't when they met a new person? The romantic atmosphere wasn't helping matters, either.
"Do you live round here?" I asked.
"No, I live in Willow Creek. What about you?"
"Yeah, I was born and bred here in San Myshuno. My sister's here too, with her husband."
"Oh, is she the one who was wearing the red version of your coat? You look similar.
"Yeah, we're twins. She's Erytheia."
"Ah. I'm an only child, myself."
"Umm... can I have your number?" Logan asked, once we'd gone to a quieter area.
"Of course!" I said, feeling a frisson of excitement. Did he think I was attractive? Could this be the start of something?
I sent him a text, and added his name to my contact list.
"I've always had a weakness for redheads," he confessed. "Maybe that's silly, given my own hair, but..."
"Say no more," I grinned. "Both my parents are redheads, and my sister's husband has ginger locks too. Maybe it's a family thing."
Narrated by Xanthe Masterson
Although my main passion was cooking and baking, I also enjoyed painting as a hobby. The walls of my apartment weren’t particularly inspiring, but I had a vivid imagination and could put it to good use, painting a city skyline at night.
I decided to visit Logan at his house in Willow Creek. As I sat down on the sofa next to him, it hit me how attractive he was.
Ooh, I hope this leads to something, I thought.
He asked me about my job as a chef, and also explained that he hadn’t yet found a job although he was looking for one.
“Is your sister a chef, too?” he asked.
“Yes, we’re both sous chefs in the same kitchen,” I replied.
“That sounds fun, working with her,” he said. “At least you get on.”
“Oh yeah, we definitely wouldn’t be working at the same place if we hated each other!” I laughed.
Things were going well, and I decided to take the plunge and kiss him! He seemed a little surprised but smiled as I stepped back.
“I’m glad we feel the same way about each other,” he said.
“Me too. Why don’t we go out this evening?”
“I’d love to!” he replied.
Rest under spoiler:
Suddenly, I turned around and noticed Holly Alto sitting near us. She was a pretty famous painter. Despite growing up with a famous mother, and having a little fame myself, it was still pretty awe-inspiring to meet a famous person.
“Ooh dear, she looks a little annoyed,” Logan whispered.
“Yeah, I guess you would be if people were fawning over you constantly,” I whispered back.
(See that yellow-covered butt in the background by the mirror? Yeah, someone fainted at seeing Holly Alto LMAO)
Unfortunately, I had to cut my date short to go to work. Thankfully, Logan understood, and even said he might visit the restaurant in future to sample some of my food!
I was pretty ecstatic when I got home, as I’d been promoted to executive chef! Some of my colleagues had wondered if Erytheia and I were competitive, but I’d explained that we weren’t really. Indeed, Erytheia had been very happy for me, and I’d replied by saying that I was sure she’d be at that level herself soon.
The next day, Logan invited me over to the Old Quarter Inn in Windenburg, somewhere else I wasn’t familiar with. It was a small, cosy pub with a foosball table and a dartboard. I ordered a drink and went to sit at a table. Logan seemed a little tense, but I assumed that he just wanted the date to go well.
Afterwards, I proposed holding a meeting of Baking Mad, and we headed over to the bakery in Newcrest, which also functioned as a café.
"So, how's it going with Logan?" Erytheia asked. Of course, I'd told her everything.
"Pretty well, actually," I grinned. "I really think this could go somewhere."
Proposing to the love of your life in the magic realm, next to fireflies and a giant floating crystal is so romantic 🥰 Oooh they moved back into the house where they were born? That’s gotta be fate! I misread Salim’s name at first and thought that his name was Salmon 😂 Aww, the Sulani wedding looked lovely. I hope they’ll remain happy together.
Xanthe seems to be doing well for herself, too. She seems very ambitious, having her own bakery and even getting fame by painting on the side! Erytheia and Xanthe gossiping about how it was going with Logan relation-wise, while he was standing right there, made me laugh.
Xanthe's Story Chapter Three: Uh Oh
Sisters Forever Chapter One: Back Together Again
Sisters Forever Chapter Two: Not Just About Romantic Love
Sisters Forever Chapter Three: Three Adults and Three Kids
I did play the family a little bit further, although not very much; they celebrated "Summer Fest" by going to Ohan'ali Beach in Sulani (the traditions are grilling food on the BBQ, water fun, and party spirit). They then moved to a house in Glimmerbrook, as three adults and three kids in one apartment was always going to be a squeeze! I've not had a family live in Glimmerbrook before so it should be fun. I also placed a cow shed and chicken coop in the garden!
Xanthe's little story line is something I hadn't really done before in-game; I'm usually fairly 'traditional' in that my Sims tend to get married before having children. I'm also still fairly new to 'SimLit' in this way. I know I could probably have written the story a little better, but isn't everyone like that (thinking they could make improvements)?
I also have plans for Erytheia and Xanthe's younger siblings Artemis and Apollo. All I'll say for now is that their "love stories" are again going to be a little different to what their elder siblings had. I wanted (and still want, in the case of Artemis and Apollo as their stories haven't happened yet) to experiment with different approaches to family life, i.e. not just the traditional route I mentioned above.
Xanthe's Story, Chapter Three: Uh Oh
On Tuesday, I decided that I wanted to take things to the next level with Logan and invited him over.
"So... fancy coming to the bedroom?" I asked.
What a lame line, I thought.
Logan didn't seem to think so, and we went on through...
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. It was Dad.
"Oh, hi there," I said.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, I've just got my boyfriend over," I said.
"Boyfriend?"
Of course, I hadn't told him yet...
"Yeah, he's called Logan, I met him at my baking club," I replied. "He's really nice."
"Well, I'm glad to know you're happy," Dad smiled.
Logan left, and I decided to cook myself dinner. As I did so, though, I felt oddly nauseous.
Oh God. I can't be.
No, it could just be a general sickness bug. Don't panic.
Unfortunately, though, the nausea became really strong and I bent over the toilet. No matter the reason, being sick is never pleasant. I had to go to the pharmacy and get a pregnancy test...
Well, that's pretty definite.
What the heck am I going to tell Logan?
Sisters Forever, Chapter One: Back Together Again
First part narrated by Xanthe Masterson
"You said you had something to tell me?"
I took a deep breath. No point in trying to beat about the bush.
"I'm pregnant."
"Oh."
He remained silent for a while, and I guessed what was coming.
"Look, Xanthe, I think you're a great person and everything... but I don't think I'm ready to be a father."
"Right."
"I'm younger than you are. Sorry, I don't mean to imply that you're old or anything, but we are at different stages in life. You've got a really good job and a university degree, and I'm still unemployed. I just don't know what I want out of life."
"Right," I repeated. "Well, thank you for being completely honest."
I felt oddly OK with what he'd just told me. I wasn't the first woman in my situation and I wouldn't be the last.
"I think it'd be best if we broke off our relationship," he continued.
"Yeah, me too. I understand. You're a great person and I know you'll be able to sort your life out soon."
"Can we still remain friends though?" he asked.
"Of course."
With that, I left. Single motherhood it was, then. I decided not to host any meetings of Baking Mad for a while, just so I could focus all my attention on my child, plus I knew it'd be best to make a clean break of things and not see Logan at all at first. We'd decided to remain friends, but I needed a bit of breathing space.
Rest under spoiler:
Second part narrated by Erytheia Paraskevas
Whilst sitting at my computer on Wednesday afternoon, I got a call from Xanthe.
"Erytheia? I need to talk to you."
"Fine, go ahead."
"I... I'm coming to your apartment. I need to tell you in person."
She said goodbye and hung up before I could reply. I had an uneasy feeling, and I just hoped that she was okay.
Before long, Xanthe was stood in front of me.
"I'm pregnant," she said.
I looked at her abdomen, and sure enough there was a small bump there.
"Oh wow," I replied, not really sure what to say. "Is it Logan's?"
"Yes. But..."
It hit me.
"Oh. You're not together anymore, then?"
"No. He says he's not ready to be a dad."
"Well, at least he's honest.
"Yeah, exactly how I feel."
"Why don't you move in with us?" I blurted out.
"Really? You're OK with that?" she replied, looking rather shocked.
"Well, I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise," I said.
"But what about Alexander? What does he say?"
Whoops, that's a point.
I spotted some dirty plates and impulsively went to tidy them.
"I really don't mind," Alexander smiled. "We lived together at university, remember?"
"Of course," Xanthe said. "Every mother needs support, particularly if they're on their own. I'm so grateful."
I settled down on the sofa with Xanthe to watch a cooking show.
"Seriously, thank you so much for this," she said.
"No problem," I replied. "I'm your twin sister. Of course I want to help you out."
"Being twins doesn't guarantee anything," she said. "We could easily dislike each other."
"Well, we don't," I laughed. "I do know what you mean. Some people might think we're a bit enmeshed, but who cares? So what if we both have the same job? You're more into your painting and I'm more into my violin. We don't dress the same or style our hair in the same way."
"Very true. Argh, watching this makes me hungry... and not just because I'm pregnant."
"Same here! I think everyone gets hungry watching cooking shows," I grinned.
After acquiring a bed and putting it into the room we'd been born in, I decided that it was finally time to put Coco properly to rest. We visited a small cemetery and got permission to place her grave there.
"I miss having cats," Xanthe said as we gazed at her tombstone.
"Yes, me too," I replied. "Now is probably not the right time. Alexander and I are planning to start our own family soon enough."
"Oh, I could be an auntie!" Xanthe grinned. "But I totally agree. We should get a pet when they're a bit older.
"Have you thought of any names?" I asked.
"I was thinking it'd be fun to continue the Greek mythology tradition," she said. "I quite like Theseus for a boy."
"And a girl?"
"Oh, Ariadne," she smiled. "Theseus is, of course, from the Minotaur myth, and so is Ariadne. The two were originally lovers, but Theseus ended up marrying someone else."