In Which Laralita Takes Her Turn

September 17, 1166

"You're late!" Laralita exclaimed as she launched herself into her brother's arms. "I haven't had you to myself in weeks, and you make me wait! How typical of a brother, really!"

Ovrean chuckled, giving her a gentle pat on the back. Much to Laralita's dismay, he showed no discernible sign of remorse--men. "I'm sorry, dear sister. You see, I had a meeting with Lorn this morning, and just as I was leaving, I ran into Celina. We ended up having the most agreeable conversation, and I'm afraid I lost track of time... but I'm sure you'll find it in your heart to forgive me, Lali."

She sniffed. "Don't call me that."

Her brother shrugged. "Father does."

"That's because he's a senile old man," dismissed Laralita. "But anyway, you can't mean to say that you dare keep a queen waiting for a good two hours on account of a mere duchess, can you?"

"I can if said queen is my kid sister!" he teased, leaning in to kiss her on both cheeks. "Besides, the poor girl's had a rough year, and you're all so isolated out here; she could use a few more friends right now, I think."

She knew he hadn't meant it, but he sounded almost accusatory. The nerve of him--it wasn't as if she hadn't been a friend to Celina. She was quite fond of the duchess, she really was... but it seemed to her that such a shy lady would have found comfort in boundaries. "I figured she needed some space; she always was rather quiet."

He ushered her onto the couch and collapsed beside her, shaking his head with a defiant grin. "Not if you catch her alone, she isn't; she's really quite the conversationalist. She's very clever, and she has this way of making you feel like you're the most important person in the world when you're talking to her. Never in my life has anyone had me hanging onto every word like that, not once!"

Laralita giggled. "Oh, you silly boy! If you like Celina so much, then why don't you marry her?"

Ovrean laughed; meanwhile, Laralita was stricken by her own hasty comment. She'd meant it as a joke--some childish comeback she must picked up from Elhina or Riona--but as she considered the idea, she found herself smiling. Perhaps she hadn't been enough of a friend to Celina during this difficult time... but what friendlier gesture was there than the gift of a husband? Besides, after Severin and Alina had spun her in Roderick's direction, wasn't it her turn to play matchmaker for some other poor unfortunate?

"Well?" she pried as a few too many seconds of silence passed. "Seriously, why don't you?"

Her brother sighed. "Lali..."

Laralita glowered at him. "Ovrean, I am a queen--if I ask you not to call me by our little brother's childish mispronunciation of my name, you are obliged to obey. But really... why not? Don't you find her pretty?"

"She's beautiful," he assured her, "but Dalston hasn't even been dead a year yet; I imagine she's not finished mourning him."

Good Lord--he truly was oblivious to all things courtship. It was no wonder that he was still a bachelor, really. "Oh, Ovrean... I didn't say just now, dear! Wait until you feel she's ready--or, if you like, I could try to find out for you," she offered, cringing in delighted anticipation. As much as she loved Roderick and her children, she did miss being able to get out of the house and gossip with the other women every once in a while; this would give her the perfect excuse to do just that. Oh, it would be almost like being young again!

Of course, it might have been too much of a stretch to expect him to be initially cooperative. "Laralita, really..."

She raised an eyebrow; what was it now? "If she's beautiful and clever, and doesn't have a dreadful personality, then what could possibly be wrong with her? How could you not want to marry her?"

"What I want is not the issue," he insisted. "I just can't imagine that someone so magnificent would ever look twice at a man so unremarkable as myself."

"If you're talking about ranks now, bear in mind that she's only a duchess in name now that her son is duke instead of her husband," Laralita reminded him--how was it that of all the siblings who could have been with her in Naroni, she was stuck with the two who struggled with the basic concept of social hierarchy? "She's a count's granddaughter, and nothing more; you, dear brother, are another count's son. She could do much worse than you."

Ovrean shook his head, the toe of his boot nudging the throw-rug in front of them. "We could both be children of kings, or we could both be peasants; the fact of the matter is that brilliant, radiant women don't settle for creaking middle-aged men."

Laralita wrinkled her nose. "Middle-aged? You're only about half a decade older than her, if that."

Her brother looked away, his eyes settling on little Ramona as she played with Noah's ark. "The years weigh more heavily on me; she doesn't seem a day over twenty."

"Twenty is still old enough to marry a thirty-nine-year-old."

Ovrean bit his lip as he faced her once again; she'd always thought him a confident man, but it seemed that this was not the case. "Not old enough to want to, I don't think. If she would have me, I'd be delighted, but I really can't see that happening. She could do much better than me."

So he was just afraid of Celina's rejection. Ridiculous, really; why couldn't all men be such daring risk-takers as her Roderick? Oh well--at least Laralita could be certain that she herself had the best of the lot. "Well, I hope you realize that if you don't ask her to marry her, then it's only a matter of time before someone else does. And honestly... would you rather take the chance while you can, or watch the days fly by until it's too late and all you can do is wonder if she might have possibly had you?"

Ovrean's finger twitched. "Can we talk about something else now?"

So he was retreating from this battle. Oh well--she'd get him back on track later. Meanwhile, she pursed her lips and considered other potential conversation topics. "Hmm... do you happen to know where Alina and Severin keep that statue I gave them? I always look around for it when I'm there, but I can never seem to find it. I do hope nothing happened to it--the poor darlings would have been devastated!"

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