In Which Severin Finds the Damage Done

October 17, 1160

"Well, well, well," Severin began, stepping into the room to discover the source of the noise that the cook had been complaining about; it was his daughter, jumping on the bed. "It seems that someone is up past her bedtime."

Raia laughed as she continued to bounce about. "But it's my birthday! Anyway, since I'm five now, can't I stay up later?"

"If you can be quieter, then maybe I'll think about it," he told her, "but certainly not this late--it won't be long before it isn't even your birthday anymore."

"All right--when it's not my birthday anymore, I'll go to bed," Raia promised.

Chuckling slightly, Severin shook his head. "You know, technically... the only 'birthday' you'll ever have was five years ago--and as I recall, you slept through most of it."

Horrified, his daughter froze briefly, then swung herself off the bed and stared at him; he was unsure whether it was her eyes that were wider, or her frown. "Did I?" she gasped, as though she had just been told she'd gone temporarily mad and killed a building full of people.

"Indeed you did," he replied in a teasingly grim voice. "Now, go to bed."

Resigned, Raia pulled back the covers and crawled beneath. "Fine. 'Night, Papa."

"Goodnight, Raia," he bade her, planting a quick kiss on her forehead. "Happy birthday."

"But you just said my birthday was five years ago!" she protested as he made his way out of the room.

"I'm old; I'm allowed to contradict myself," he assured her. "Now, put out the candles and go to sleep."

He closed the door softly behind him and strode along the winding corridor to his own bedchamber, where he found his wife awake, staring at the empty fireplace.

"Practicing pyrokinesis?" ventured Severin as he joined her on the couch. "If so, I hear it's easier while snuggled up to one's husband."

Alina giggled. "That would certainly present an easier target."

"Albeit more distracting," he added with a grin. "Anyway, I just told one lady that it was time to go to sleep, and now I think this older lady should do the same."

"Fair enough," she agreed, "but I have to talk to you first."

Severin frowned; he wasn't sure about the emotional note in her voice. "All right..."

"You sound worried," mused Alina, one eyebrow raised. "Don't be--it's good news."

"Good news," he repeated as he placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her toward him, relieved--he'd had enough bad news lately. "Thank you, Princess."

"Don't just thank me, you idiot," she sighed. "Sometimes it takes more than one person to make some good news. If I recall correctly, you were there at the time."

He found himself smiling as their eyes locked. "You don't say? It's the stables, isn't it? Have my men finally finished extending the stables?"

She rolled her pretty blue eyes--she did this so often it was endearing. "I say I have good news and you immediately think it's the stables? Severin... have you been drinking?"

"No, but I might have to if you don't tell me soon."

Giggling again, she leapt onto his lap. "All right, I'll just tell you. In May... well, we're going to have another baby."

At once, about a million possible replies formed in his head, each one proving more profound than the last. There were so many to choose from; he elected the safest option.

"...what?"

May. That placed the conception date around... August. She'd given birth in June.

It was true that after his mother had married, the majority of Severin's youth had been spent with his father and stepmother, but he had spent enough time with Laveria to hear her telling women that it was more difficult to conceive a child closely following a birth. Two months had seemed within the safe time frame--Alina hadn't even started bleeding again between the birth and the conception. How was she so sure that it had been August, anyway?

But really, it didn't even matter. He shouldn't have counted himself safe--he should have just told her his thoughts on the whole idea.

Of course... maybe it had been inevitable. Was he about to give up sex with her altogether? Not a chance. He'd just have to start pulling out, perhaps, but he realized that--he had been raised by Lonriad, after all--that didn't always work. Oh well; he'd give it a try after this baby was born. For now, the damage was already done.

Meanwhile, Alina's smile was drooping slightly as she studied his face. "Severin? Are you all right?"

"Of course," he lied, hugging her tightly. "Of course, Princess. Like you said, that's... good news."

Fortunately, she didn't seem to notice his hesitation as he choked out the last two words. "I knew you'd think so!"

When would it end? He'd decided that six was enough; now, there was going to be seventh. How many times could he put his reasoning aside and say "Just one more"? If he kept doing that, there would be thirty of them before he knew it.

Last one--no more. No exceptions. After this baby was born, they were done for a few years.

"Princess, it's late. Let's go to bed."

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