In Which Ceidrid Offers a Solution

June 29, 1163

Though the aroma of chicken broth and the warmth of the fire were both sensations that Ceidrid ordinarily found pleasing, they had so far proven to be an insufficient distraction. Not that that was too surprising--after all, it had been far from a typical day in the household. Last night, Ceidrid's grandfather had gone to bed, just as he always had. This morning, he had not woken.

To this very hour, Cuthron Wythleit laid in his bed, neither moving nor breathing. In his bed... that was how he had always wanted to go, Ceidrid knew. The only missing detail the old man would have desired was the presence of a woman in said bed with him. Oh well--it was better than wasting away for months as their parents had, Ceidrid had to admit.

And yet, it almost felt worse for Ceidrid and his siblings. Sudden. Unexpected. Falidor claimed Ailede had said something like that to him when her brother had died; it was the first time Ceidrid had ever felt any sympathy for his sister-in-law.

Speaking of his-sister-in-law, she was visibly absent. Falidor had arrived that afternoon, accompanied by his children and stepdaughter, who now played in Nora and Jothein's bedroom with their young cousins. Alsina was seated in their mother's old chair by the wall while Falidor, Nora, Rifden and Jothein occupied the benches at the table. As for Ceidrid himself, he had opted to stand; as the house was now legally his, he did not feel right about putting his own physical comfort ahead of his family's, especially in this difficult situation.

Behind him, Falidor dragged the toe of his boot against the dirt floor. "So you and Nora and the children are still thinking about moving into the rooms above your shop until your new house is finished?"

Jothein nodded. "That's the plan."

Ceidrid glanced over his shoulder at Nora; she shifted in her seat, as though the muscle in her thigh had gone numb. "It wouldn't be any inconvenience for us to take Ceidrid and Alsina and Rifden with us, of course, but we'll be in rather cramped quarters; I doubt they'll comfortably fit seven of us."

"Besides, there's only the two rooms: the kitchen, and the bedroom," added Alsina with a frown. "I'm used to sharing a room with two snoring boys and two crying babies, but I draw the line at my sister and her husband fucking without even a wall between them and me while I'm trying to sleep."

Nora glared at her. "Sina!"

Alsina shrugged. "What? It's true."

"What about you, Rifden?" Jothein addressed the youngest brother, likely in an attempt to stir the conversation away from his and Nora's sex life. "Do you have any such... reservations?"

Rifden took a moment to consider; Ceidrid continued to prod at the flames, trying to figure out what he himself would say when they asked him. It was not a decision to be made hastily, but given the circumstances, there was no other option. Unfortunately, Ceidrid was not the sort of boy who thought well under pressure. It seemed at the moment that his best chance was to wait for his younger brother's response, and perhaps play off of it.

Finally, Rifden spoke. "I don't know. Since I'm your apprentice, I should probably move into your new house with you when it's built, but you might want your space if you're living in the shop with the children and all. Maybe Ceidrid and Alsina and me should just move in with Falidor for a while."

Falidor sighed. "If I didn't think Ailede would kill me, I'd agree."

Jothein and Nora's rooms didn't have the physical space... Falidor's house didn't have the emotional space... this was beginning to feel rather hopeless.

Or is it? Ceidrid thought to himself as he turned around to face his older sister; for once, he seemed to have been hit with a sudden idea. "Nora... maybe we could just stay here?"

Nora's brow furrowed, her blue eyes darting about the room for a few seconds before settling on his own. "Sorry?"

"Well... it is technically my house now," he began, speaking word-by-word as each came to mind, "and somebody does need to tend the farm--I don't think Grandpapa would have wanted to see it rot away, especially since it looks like it's going to be a good harvest this year. I know I'm probably not the best guardian for Alsina and Rifden, but I'll be sixteen in September, so I think I'm mature enough to provide for them until your new house is ready."

His sister's head tilted to one side as her lips pursed in mingled compassion and contemplation. "Ceidrid... are you sure? I mean, I trust you, but is that really what you want?"

"No," he admitted, "but this isn't what any of us want. We all want Papa and Mama and Grandpapa to still be here, but we can't have that. In the mean time, if the three of us stay here, then Rifden will be out of your hair for a while, and Alsina will have some time to consider whether she wants to live with you or with Falidor, or maybe find a job or a husband if she wants. Besides, you were married and practically a mother to all of us at sixteen, and Falidor had his own house at sixteen, so I think I can handle this."

Nora glanced at Jothein, who in turn cast his eyes upon Falidor. "Well? You're the head of the family now--what do you think?"

Falidor lifted his head to the ceiling. "I suppose that's as good a solution as anything else. I only wish we could've had a little more time before we had to make such a decision."

"Don't we all," Jothein muttered in agreement. "Don't we all."

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