In Which Florian Sees Old Eyes on a New Face

February 16, 1159

Florian couldn't be sure whether he preferred Halford poking at the fire or Goodwife Noth--it seemed that either way, he was confronted by the sight of a rather undesirable ass. He kind of wished that Halford would go into the bedroom and help with the delivery so that Honora could tend the fire instead.

But then again, that would involve Halford ogling parts of Thetis he'd rather not have any other man see, so maybe it was better this way.

Out of the corner of his eye, he cast a quick glance toward Adonis and the baron, who were seated at the kitchen table. They didn't seem to be speaking much, save for the occasional inaudible murmur, but Florian caught several anxious glances between the two of them--it was obvious what they were thinking, and really, he couldn't deny that it was on his own mind as well.

Really... how could it not have been?

"She'll be fine, Florian," Lord Severin tried to assure him from the other couch. "I was there when she had the twins. They were both fairly large babies, and she was this tiny fourteen-year-old girl, and she managed far better than many grown women would have."

However, Florian wasn't convinced--and he really wasn't all that sure that Severin was either.

"I want to believe you," he muttered in reply at last, hardly daring to make eye contact.

Severin nodded. "I know."

The moments ticked on, the occasional moan of pain or soothing feminine voice passing through the bedroom wall. They might have annoyed the others, but Florian, for one, was grateful for the sounds--if Thetis could scream, then she was still alive.

"Florian," Halford addressed him gruffly, "I know what you're thinking."

Florian sighed. "Halford..."

"No. Look, I've known Arydath her whole life," the bigger man began. "Under her watch, the chance of something going wrong is one in a million--and as painful as it is, we both know there's already been a 'one'. I know it's hard after what happened last time, but... trust my wife. And trust yours too."

"You know, he's right," agreed Severin. "Have a little faith in your wife. Deep down, that girl's a fighter if I've ever seen one."

He opened his mouth to reply, but all of a sudden, he was silenced by the most beautiful sound in the world.

It was a baby. A crying, squealing, colicky--and very much alive--baby.

And then... a sigh. A mother's sigh. A living mother's sigh.

"Did you hear that?" he demanded, leaping to his feet. "They're alive!"

Halford chuckled. "I told you."

"Go to them," Severin urged him. "No sense staying back here with us, is there? You know you'd rather be with them."

It was true--not like it was much of a choice, really.

Nodding, Florian quietly brushed through the gap between the couch and the wall and turned into the small corridor that led to the bedroom door. So far, everything sounded good... but how long would it last? Anything could happen, couldn't it?

The door swung open to reveal Goodwife Noth, a tiny baby in her arms. "Well, Master Tumekrin," his housekeeper scolded, catching him off-guard somewhat, "I'm very disappointed in you."

Florian raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

"You said you didn't touch the girl," she reminded him. "You said it was her first husband's."

He shrugged. "It probably is."

"Unless her first husband also had your eyes, I don't think so."

Sure enough--he'd never seen Norwan, but he knew those eyes. They were one of the few things he remembered about his father--his papa's eyes. Setran's eyes. His eyes.

And here again they were, familiar eyes on an unfamiliar face, a patchwork of Thetis's and his own that had been stitched together in a shockingly pleasing arrangement.

"Er, what... kind is it?" he asked as Goodwife Noth placed the baby in his arms; she was a lot lighter than Setran or Evera had been. He didn't know whether or not that was a good thing.

"It's a girl," she answered. "Your daughter. The mistress wants you to name her."

"Well... she's my mother's first granddaughter, I suppose," he mused aloud, "so I should probably name her Alyssin, for her."

Goodwife Noth closed her eyes and smiled. "Alyssin. That's a pretty name."

"For a pretty girl," Florian agreed as he held the baby close, surprised by just how warm she was. "How's Thetis?"

"She's well, but very tired. She was falling asleep when I left--don't expect her to wake before midday tomorrow."

"Midday tomorrow," he sighed. "Great. Just great; that's two consecutive chaste wedding nights for me. Two! The next time I get married, there'd better be sex--and it better be mind-blowingly good."

NEXT CHAPTER: