In Which Alina Finds Herself Very Wrong

January 16, 1157

"Oh, but she's such a horrible snob!" Alina continued to rant to her sister. Ordinarily, she wasn't much of a gossip, but Medea was a special case. "You should have heard her when I announced that I was pregnant with Jadin. Honestly, the woman just doesn't know how to keep her judgmental opinions to herself."

Renata nodded. "She is rather... elitist, shall we say? But really, Alina, I'm surprised she bothers you so much; after all, you did grow up with Laralita."

"Renata, you don't know Medea like I do," she insisted. "I've spent quite a bit of time with her lately--not that I've had much of a choice, considering the limited number of companions in Naroni. Sure, Laralita's a silly, superficial girl who cares more about money and influence and appearances than anything else, but she's not a bad person at heart; really, I think she's more like Roderick than anyone else. Medea... she's just plain mean, if not downright loony."

"Well, imagine how poor Octavius must feel, then," mused Renata solemnly.

"Yes, our dear cousin, married to that banshee," sighed Alina, shaking her head in dismay. "He's much to good for her. He should have an affair."

Renata's eyes bulged slightly. "Alina! Octavius would never--"

"Oh, he wouldn't," she agreed, "but he should. God knows he deserves a woman who loves him, and she deserves a man who's unfaithful to her."

Her older sister pursed her lips thoughtfully. "It's a moot point; he'd never do it. Alina, what would you say if someone said that Severin should have an affair?"

Alina shrugged. "It doesn't matter; he wouldn't."

"Exactly. It's the same with Octavius--a moot point."

"Further proof that he's far too good for her," she declared with a musical giggle; perhaps she had had a little too much wine at dinner. "But really, I saw how he was making eyes at Princess Holladrin at the dinner table--and she was making them right back. The only thing Medea was making eyes at was whatever design she was scratching into her potatoes with her fork."

"I highly doubt that humble Octavius would aspire to a love affair with the princess," argued Renata softly.

Alina smiled. "Oh, surely the king would kill him! But you must admit that it's a very romantic notion--a pity that his bitch of wife is in the way."

"Speaking of romance," Renata cooed in a teasing manner. "How is your husband? I talked to him earlier, but he seemed a little edgy... or maybe he just couldn't wait to have you alone and rip that nightgown right off of you like he did on your wedding night?"

"Oh, he's fine," she dismissed, hoping that she was telling the truth. Severin, she knew, had caught Lonriad kissing Geneva, and had been somewhat unnerved since. He had retired early, which was why she was in her sister's room, talking into the late hours as they had when they were girls. "It's just that his father is here, and you know how things are between them. I daresay he'll be back to normal once we get back to Naroni--and you should definitely come visit us at some point, you and your husband and your children."

"Don't think I won't," her sister assured her. "Anyway, I hate to be rude, but it's quite late and I get the feeling that the baby wants me to sleep. Sorry, Alina."

Nodding, she slipped off the bed and stood. She understood, of course, but all the same, she couldn't help but feel like a little girl again, the youngest of ten children and five sisters, always wanting to tag along and constantly shooed away, dismissed as nothing but a bother. It suddenly hit her that that was the fate of every youngest child, including her own youngest child; she didn't want any baby of hers to know that feeling. Perhaps she would just continue having children for as long as possible... oh, but eventually, there would have to be a youngest! Or maybe her youngest would be twins. Yes, that was it--she would make sure that her last baby was a twin.

"Goodnight, Renata," she bade her sister as she headed toward the door.

"Goodnight," Renata answered, "and again, sorry."

Alina closed her eyes and inhaled. "It's fine."

"With any luck, your husband's awake," laughed Renata as Alina ventured into the corridor. "Perhaps ripping off your nightgown will make him feel better, correct?"

She replied with a half-hearted chuckle of her own, then gently closed the door behind her. Renata hadn't meant to be cruel, but if anything, that only made it seem worse; her lowly status as the youngest must have become subconscious knowledge among her siblings.

Perhaps it would make her feel better if she leaned over the railing of the balcony for a few minutes, watching whoever it was in the guest bedroom below sleep peacefully; maybe then she would be inspired to seek slumber herself.

How very wrong she was.

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