In Which Isidro and Riona Don't Have the Time

October 2, 1175

"And that," Isidro finished as the tickle monster made its hasty retreat, "is why good little girls should always eat their vegetables."

Alya pawed at the rim of his surcoat and giggled, her tiny frame bouncing in his arms. He'd felt awkward about holding her before--the last child he'd held had been his sister Sarita, only five years younger than he and eleven years dead besides--but after a couple days it had become second nature. Riona was better with her, and of course Alya preferred her seeing as she spent the stationary days with her while Isidro was out doing odd jobs for what little coin they needed, but the little girl was past the point where she began to panic if left alone with him for too long. This day, Isidro had made a point to earn as much as he could as quickly as possible and return to the inn early for the sole purpose of relieving Riona. She loved Alya, but she was a restless, wild sort of girl and it seemed the only time she had to show that these days was when Alya and the inn's other inhabitants were fast asleep and Riona and Isidro were in bed, dangerously close to waking the baby and all the rest.

That and she hadn't been in the best of health lately. They were in Carvallon now, and the last few villages they'd passed through had been bogged down by some autumn illness. Riona insisted that she must have picked it up somewhere. Isidro wasn't sure that was it, but there wasn't any sense arguing with her--not yet, at any rate.

"Of course, you already knew that--didn't you?" The little girl laughed again, her pretty eyes widening in delight as she made a swipe for Isidro's nose. Smirking, he removed his hand from her dark curly head and pressed a finger to her own dab of a facial feature. "I think yours is the cuter one."

Alya bowed her head. Isidro returned his arm to its place around her and ruffled her hair. "Where did you get all these curls? I know dozens of women who would give their right arms for locks like yours."

"And since when have you had the time to meet dozens of women?"

Riona pushed through the door, still a little pale but a teasing grin in the sparkle of her eye. Isidro chuckled. "We both know I don't have any money to be throwing around right now. And even if I did, why would I? You're not exactly a frigid bedfellow yourself."

"Izzy!" Riona scolded, though laughing all the while. "Not in front of Alya!"

"What? It's not like she's never going to learn anything about the world." Sending a wink Riona's way, he rose Alya to eye level and grinned. "Sometimes, when Riona gets really drunk, she--"

"Izzy! You're disgusting!" She kicked the door shut and hurried toward them, landing a playful swat on his arm. "Besides, we both know that your drunken antics aren't any better." Alya smiled her toothy little smile and wrapped her arms around Isidro's neck; Riona darted to his other side and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "You know, I think she likes you."

"Not as much as she likes you." Right on cue, Alya let go and reached toward Riona. Isidro gave her one last tap on the nose, then handed her over.

Riona snickered. "Well, that's a given."

"That it is." He leaned in for a kiss, ducking around Alya and landing squarely on Riona's lips. As she always did when he kissed Riona, Alya clapped. "Feeling any better?"

"A little." Riona drummed her fingers against Alya's arm as Isidro stepped back and looked her over. If nothing else, she didn't look nearly as green as she had when he'd left in the morning. "It's cold, though."

Nodding, he made his way to the fireplace and grabbed the flint off the mantle. He sparked a fire in the hearth and took hold of a nearby poker, nudging a stray log toward the flame. "Better?"

"Much." He tossed the poker aside and turned around. There was nothing quite like Riona's hair in the firelight. "Did you make much today?"

"No more or less than usual. Enough for a few days' board, plus meals and accommodation for the horses. We should be able to leave tomorrow if you're feeling up to it."

Riona sighed. "We'll see how I'm feeling in the morning. If I'm still sick, do you think you can find something to do?"

That wouldn't be a problem. There was always something to do. "Of course."

"Izzy?"

He looked up, even though she hadn't turned her head. "Yes?"

"You know how we've been playing house these past couple months?"

He nodded. "Yes...?"

Riona bounced Alya to her shoulder, then turned around and looked him in the eye. "Why aren't we bored yet?"

It was a valid question, and not an easy one. Isidro shrugged. "I don't think we have time to be bored."

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