In Which Nanalie Sees What Talk Is Worth

October 16, 1176

If someone had told Nanalie just how often she'd be visiting her sister once one of them was married and out of the house, she would have dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand and forgotten about such nonsense. But what she'd never figured was just how much good living under two different roofs could do for their relationship; indeed, the made beds and clean floors and washed dishes almost made her miss having Asalaye around.

But there was no sense in complaining. Her sister was still within walking distance--and her own house was a hell of a lot neater. "I still can't believe he let you have your pink bedding."

Asalaye beamed. She'd always had a healthy glow to her, or so their father had always said, but had it been night the moon might have been envious. "Kind of a purple-pink, but close enough."

'Purple-pink' indeed--a bold shade, a difficult shade, almost a ridiculous shade. Nanalie couldn't help it. She had to laugh. "It clashes with everything!"

"So what?" Asalaye demanded as Nanalie joined her atop the atrocious blanket. "I have my pink bedding."

"Purple-pink," Nanalie corrected. Her sister clapped and let out a cackle, the shine of her moonbeam face rendering the sun outside insignificant. She'd never looked like this, not even on her wedding day. Not even that first time Nanalie had caught her climbing down the ladder from the hayloft, all giggly and disheveled and hay in her hair. "There's something different about you."

Her sister grimaced, her nose wrinkling in confusion--at least, as far as noses like theirs could wrinkle. "What do you mean? You saw me three days ago; I haven't changed since."

"Maybe not, but it's definitely something." She took a minute to look Asalaye over once again. Radiance aside, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but Asalaye didn't feel quite like Asalaye. No, that wasn't quite true... "You seem a little more than yourself."

"'More than myself'?" Well, now that it had been repeated, it did sound pretty stupid. Still... "My God, Nan, are you and Arydath conspiring against me?"

Arydath? That had come out of nowhere. "What about Arydath?"

Asalaye shrugged. "I ran into her at Had and Lyraina's yesterday. She said something similar."

Oh. Yes, Nanalie had heard a few such lines from Arydath before--Lyraina, Avine, her own mother. But if Arydath was making such comments... "Are you pregnant?"

"What? No!" She was almost offended. The look on her face was both endearing and hilarious. "Don't you think I would have told you if I'd missed a course?"

"Maybe it happened since your last course."

"But then I couldn't know about it, could I?"

"Yes, but then you can't say for sure that you're not, can you?" Asalaye glared at her. Nanalie stuck out her tongue, then smirked. "Better start picking names, Sis."

Exasperated, her sister rolled her eyes. "You're just itching to be an aunt again, are you? Christ, you're just as bad as Father."

"Well, would you look at that? There are ladies attached to these noses."

From the looks of it, Asalaye's husband was back.

"Making jokes about noses other than mine?" Asalaye flashed him a look of mock outrage. "How could you?"

Shameless as ever, Lonriad chuckled. "Better jokes about other people's noses than jokes about your womb--right, Nanalie?"

"Just how long have you been listening at the door?" asked Asalaye with a half-annoyed smile.

Lonriad returned her grin with a wink. "Long enough to start feeling a little nauseous myself--no implications intended. Planning on staying for supper, Nan? The cook's making your favorite."

"Thank you, but I'll have to pass." She gave Asalaye a pat on the shoulder, then swung her legs off the side of the bed and hopped to her feet. As much as she hated to leave so soon, she did have to pick up a few spices. "If I'm not home to make supper myself, then the whole family is at the mercy of Avine's cooking."

Back on the bed, Asalaye shuddered. Lonriad laughed. "Fair enough. Just keep in mind that you're always welcome, all right?"

"As long as I'm not debating the state of Asalaye's womb, that is," she joked as she went to give her brother-in-law a parting hug. Over his shoulder, she could see Asalaye scowling; Lyraina always gave her that same look when Nanalie started teasing her about such things too. "Now, you two kids behave yourselves."

"We won't," Lonriad promised, earning him a snicker from Asalaye.

Nanalie sighed. "I'm sure. At least try not to scorch your eyes looking at that blanket."

"What's wrong with the blanket?"

...Men! "Never mind."

She gave him a quick pat on the arm, then headed for the door as he took over her abandoned spot on the bed, whispering something in Asalaye's ear and bursting out in laughter as she swatted at him. God, they were immature. But they were happy.

Nanalie knew that people talked about her. Nearly nineteen and never had a suitor, didn't even seem to be trying. They'd talked when Asalaye had been seeing Cord, talked again when the whole Cord deal fell through, and then Asalaye had gotten with Lonriad and they'd talked all the more. They still talked. The younger sister had married early and well above her station; the elder was still at her father's house, cooking his meals and sweeping his floors. People just couldn't mind their own damn business.

One foot out the door, Nanalie took one last glance at her sister and brother-in-law. Yes, they were young and stupid, but was that really anything to talk about? She loved him. He loved her. What did that have to do with Nanalie?

Whatever it was, she didn't even care. They didn't always get along, but all that talk was well worth seeing her sister smile.

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