In Which Raia Gets an Unwanted Opinion

October 17, 1170

Raia nudged the earth with the heel of her slipper. She probably should have worn her boots, but it was still rather warm--and all the way out here, it was a little late now.

Today was her fifteenth birthday. She supposed that it was a somewhat monumental age, but she was getting to the point where the very idea of a birthday was beginning to lose its novelty. She would have been lying if she claimed not to like the presents or the dinners and dances, but other than that, birthdays didn't seem like such a big deal anymore. It wasn't as if her friends and family would put their lives on hold for the whole day just for her, and it wasn't as if she expected otherwise; besides, she had her own worries, and one magical day of gifts and parties wasn't going to solve anything.

Nora's baby, for one. According to Goodwife Diarn, the baby would arrive around Christmastime, just a little over two months away now--whatever had gone wrong with her mother's last pregnancy, it was well past the point where the same could happen to Nora. However, she was not in the clear yet, and no one was more aware of this than Raia's father. He wouldn't breathe easily again until the baby's birth, until he knew for sure that both mother and child were going to be all right. He tried not to let it show, but since her mother's death, Raia had developed an intense intuition where her father was concerned; after three years now, he was not so difficult to read.

And then there was the problem with Falidor. Whereas his marriage to Ailede had been cold and loveless before, his patience had kept their relationship at least mildly civil--but not anymore. The house was a blazing inferno every time the two of them crossed paths--often as a result of some insult to her that leaked from Ailede's mouth. It was nice to think that Falidor was willing to stand up for her, but she couldn't help but feel responsible for making his life even more miserable than it already was. It had gotten to the point where Ailede would show up at the castle unannounced for the sole purpose of railing on her husband--and Raia as well, if she happened to be around at the time. Her father had instructed the guards to deny Ailede entrance, but he could not stop her from screaming insults for all to hear; the way things were now, she supposed the only thing Falidor could be grateful for was the fact that there were plenty of people willing to take in the children on the worst of the nights.

If only he had somewhere else to go! Raia had heard of spouses taking separate residences when the damage of their relationship was beyond repair, and she didn't doubt that such a thing would be in Falidor's best interests... but where would he live? He'd spent a few nights at the castle, but that couldn't become a permanent arrangement if he wanted his kids to live with him every second week; he would need a house.

Raia had a house. Well... she supposed it was technically her father's, but he'd told her that it would be hers whenever she married if her husband didn't have a nicer abode of his own. She'd been thinking of asking him if she could take up residence there when she sixteen, just to see what it was like living her own, but perhaps giving it to Falidor was a better idea. Her father owned plenty of houses, and she could have her pick of them if she needed one, but... how exactly did one go about giving a man a house?

"'Orse!"

Startled, Raia sprung to her feet and caught sight of a tiny dark-haired girl setting a few feet away. The child looked up at her and smiled, her diamond eyes bright and an elaborate mark on her cheek obvious. She pointed at Raia's horse and giggled. "'Orse!"

Awkward, she indulged the girl with a sheepish grin. "I guess you like horses?"

"'Orse!"

"Raia-girl!" Raia knew that voice. "You find offspring!"

She turned around and sure enough, there he was, suddenly in sight as usual. Why did he always have to do that? "What the hell? You never told me you had a kid!"

"You never ask." He took a few jog-like strides toward her; as usual, she tried not to let her gaze linger on anything below his waist. "How is you?"

"I'm well, thank you," she acknowledged as he embraced her. "Well enough, anyway."

"So not all well." He took a step back, his hand on her shoulder. "What wrong?"

Ah, but where to begin! She knew he couldn't guarantee that Nora would deliver safely--and even if he could, she didn't think her father would believe it until he saw it. She supposed she'd have to start with Falidor. "I have this friend, and he needs to separate from his wife."

Tavrin raised an eyebrow. "Is this... sexy friend?"

Raia glared at him. "Oh God, no! He's just a man who's married to a psychotic bitch and has to get away from her for his own good!"

Unconvinced, the man shrugged. "Quick answer--too quick."

"Shut up!"

"Da!"

The toddler waved her arms about for a couple seconds, then clambered to her feet. "Da!"

"She looks just like you," Raia observed as Tavrin raised the child to his shoulder.

Tavrin laughed. "I guess I make pretty girl. So, what this about your friend?"

"I already told you--he needs to get away from his wife." Speaking with Tavrin could either be enlightening or exhausting; so far, this case was leaning toward the latter. "I'm thinking I might let him live in my house. Do you think that's a good idea?"

He shrugged. "Girl let me live in her cave once."

"Oh?" Interested, Raia leaned forward. "How did that turn out?"

Her friend stared at her for a moment, then glanced at his daughter and smiled. "Where you think this baby come from?"

Raia scowled; this was really getting annoying. "I didn't say I'd be living there with him!"

A teasing smile tugged at Tavrin's mouth. "You no have to."

God--why the hell did men just assume that everything had to be about sex? Stupid Tavrin. "Remind me never to ask for your opinion on anything again. You never get anything right."

"Oh really?" He brushed a stray lock out of his daughter's little face, then turned back to Raia. "If I never right, why you get 'fensive?"

She didn't have to deal with this. A grimace in place, she mounted her horse and left.

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