In Which Thetis Extends an Invitation

June 12, 1170

"So, are you two officially sweethearts now, or are you just practicing up for better people?" Alyssin's question was delivered without the barest hint of a joke; if they hadn't been in the presence of a guest, Thetis might have sunk deep into the couch cushions and tugged at her hair in frustration. Why oh why oh why hadn't she insisted that the girl accompany her father and brothers to the keep while Riala was visiting?

Struggling to keep her composure, Thetis managed to tone her reaction to a mere crook of the eyebrow in her daughter's direction. "Alyssin! Be nice!"

Alyssin's mouth twisted into an ess-like squiggle. "What? She's always over here, but they're never hanging off each other; it's a perfectly valid question!"

Thetis lifted her head to her forehead and sighed; on the other couch, Setran and Riala exchanged a worried glance. "Well, we haven't really talked about that yet," Riala answered after a few seconds' consideration, her pretty voice wavering and unsure.

Satisfied, Alyssin nodded. "Commitment issues?"

Setran slouched back and groaned--as if Thetis had needed that prompt to send the boy's sister a warning glare. "Do you want to go upstairs and relieve Goodwife Noth of the babysitting duties?"

She watched as that pair of blue-gray eyes rolled toward the back of Alyssin's skull. "No..."

"Then keep your mouth shut." She shared an exasperated look with Evera, who was tending to the fire, then locked eyes with Riala. "I'm sorry about all this, dear."

"Oh, it's quite all right," Riala assured her with a sickly-sweet smile. "I have a little sister of my own, after all."

Beside Thetis, Alyssin snorted. "The way your mother goes about, you should probably have more than the one."

That was it--that girl was not leaving the house for the rest of the week! "Alyssin!"

"What?" Her annoyance brimmed with such an understated exaggeration that only an eleven-year-old girl could possess. "It's true and you know it!"

She just wants the attention, Thetis told herself as she often did. If you ignore her, she'll stop.

And yet, Alyssin made it increasingly difficult to do so, especially now that her behavior had obliged Thetis to extend the invitation. "My apologies, Riala. If you'd like to stay for dinner, feel free to do so; I'm sure Goodwife Noth wouldn't mind cooking for one more person."

"Hell, she doesn't even have to cook one more person," insisted Alyssin with a shudder. "Riala can have mine!"

Riala acknowledged her with a passive wave of the hand, then turned back to Thetis. "Thank you for the offer, but I believe I'll just go home for supper; we have a good cook at home."

Thetis ignored that comment--Alyssin, however, did not. "I'm guessing she's not your mother."

She didn't know if she could take any more of this. "Go upstairs."

Oh, how many times must she see those eyes widen in protest? "But I don't want to give the twins my cold!"

"You don't have a cold!"

"It's a stealth cold!"

Thetis tossed back her head and bit her lip; her daughter certainly didn't get that from her side. "Why can't you be more like your sister? She's been nice and quiet this entire time."

Skeptical, Alyssin glanced toward Evera and frowned. "I bet she's not being quiet in her head."

That had been an odd thing to say. Thetis leaned over and strained for a hint of her eldest's face--indeed, she did look rather pensive. "Evera, are you all right?"

"Well... maybe just a little flushed," Evera admitted, placing the poker to the side and stepping back from the fire. "Might I go lie down for a minute?"

Thetis nodded, then watched as her eldest disappeared up the stairs. Now only Alyssin and Riala remained out of the girls; if her stepson left before either of them, Thetis did not think she would be able to bear it.

"Are you sure you'd rather not stay?" she offered once again, though politeness had grown rather difficult over the course of this visit. "It is a long ride."

"Plus Hamrick and Dragon will probably give you their dinners as well," Alyssin added with confident glee.

"Thank you, but no." Riala flashed an obligatory smile, then pulled herself to her feet, Setran following suit. "In fact, I should probably be going now. Thank you for your hospitality, Mistress Tumekrin."

"Any time," Thetis replied, though she wasn't sure she meant it. "Give your regards to your father for me."

"I shall."

Setran laced his arm around Riala's waist and ushered her to the door. "I'm glad you could come," he told her, taking her in his arms for a quick parting hug.

"My pleasure." Riala pursed her lips as if expecting a kiss, but Setran merely patted her on the shoulder and opened the door for her. His gaze followed her off for a silent couple of minutes; then, without saying a word to either his stepmother or his sister, he slammed the door shut and trudged up the stairs.

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