March 20, 1177
"Ha! I can jump higher than you!"
"Nuh-uh! You just think that because you're taller!"
"Prove it!"
"I will!"
The sun had come early this year, but the past week had been plagued by such fierce winds that the children had been confined to the house despite the inviting skies and it went without saying that they were all feeling a little crowded. At least Alina and Sev had another live-in playmate for the time, Raia figured. Her nephew Dalston had come down with some nasty fever near the beginning of the month, so her father had sent the younger children away out of fear they'd catch it as well. Roddie was with Riona, which was just as well considering that Isidro had been meaning to take him as a page anyway. Lyssa and CeeCee were at Searle and Lettie's while Lonriad and Asalaye had taken Donnie. That left Raia with Falidor, which had led to some confusion with her husband of the same name and all... but he was Alina's age almost to the day and they played well together.
Most of the time, anyway.
"Rai-uh! Alina's trying to push me off the couch!"
"Nuh-uh! You just think that because you're taller!"
"Prove it!"
"I will!"
The sun had come early this year, but the past week had been plagued by such fierce winds that the children had been confined to the house despite the inviting skies and it went without saying that they were all feeling a little crowded. At least Alina and Sev had another live-in playmate for the time, Raia figured. Her nephew Dalston had come down with some nasty fever near the beginning of the month, so her father had sent the younger children away out of fear they'd catch it as well. Roddie was with Riona, which was just as well considering that Isidro had been meaning to take him as a page anyway. Lyssa and CeeCee were at Searle and Lettie's while Lonriad and Asalaye had taken Donnie. That left Raia with Falidor, which had led to some confusion with her husband of the same name and all... but he was Alina's age almost to the day and they played well together.
Most of the time, anyway.
"Rai-uh! Alina's trying to push me off the couch!"
Maddie giggled. Not really sure how concerned for anyone's welfare she was at the moment--she hadn't had a moment to herself in a good week, after all--Raia turned back to her grandmother. "But you did get your money in the end, right?"
"Raia, honey--I always get my money in the end." She winked, the hilt of a dagger peeking out from her belt. "That husband of yours owes me a couple of coppers, by the way; would you believe he got all the way to the baker's before he realized he'd forgotten his wallet."
That did sound like something Falidor would do. "I believe it."
"Raia, honey--I always get my money in the end." She winked, the hilt of a dagger peeking out from her belt. "That husband of yours owes me a couple of coppers, by the way; would you believe he got all the way to the baker's before he realized he'd forgotten his wallet."
That did sound like something Falidor would do. "I believe it."
Her grandmother laughed. "Good thing that man's head is attached, that's for sure. But on a more positive note, I saw little Dalston today. Still a frail little thing, but the worst of the fever's gone now. I'm sure young Falidor here will be going home soon."
"Aww!" moaned Falidor from the couch. "That means I'll have to start eating vegetables again!"
"Aww!" moaned Falidor from the couch. "That means I'll have to start eating vegetables again!"
"Ha!" Alina chirped. "Grandpapa and Auntie Nora never make me eat vegetables."
"But my sister does."
"Shut up!"
Raia sighed. Even if they could sort of watch themselves now, she kind of missed the days when they couldn't talk. At least Sev was being nice and quiet, even if he was bothering the puppy. At her side, her grandmother chuckled. "They grow up so fast."
"Too fast," Raia agreed. And not fast enough!
Ah, but they'd been jumping for a good half hour or so; they were due to tire themselves out any minute now. When they did, they knew better than to come crying to her. She had a guest, after all.
"Anyway. I was thinking of riding up to Armion tomorrow to visiting Lear--"
"But my sister does."
"Shut up!"
Raia sighed. Even if they could sort of watch themselves now, she kind of missed the days when they couldn't talk. At least Sev was being nice and quiet, even if he was bothering the puppy. At her side, her grandmother chuckled. "They grow up so fast."
"Too fast," Raia agreed. And not fast enough!
Ah, but they'd been jumping for a good half hour or so; they were due to tire themselves out any minute now. When they did, they knew better than to come crying to her. She had a guest, after all.
"Anyway. I was thinking of riding up to Armion tomorrow to visiting Lear--"
Ack. Remiel. Not that she wasn't suspicious of the man--after what he'd done to her little sisters!--but she couldn't understand why Laveria's forbidden sphere kept growing. First the chapel--fair enough, that was obvious anyway. Then the castle's entire south side--understandably cautious. But the whole shire? Brother Remiel couldn't be everywhere at once. "I wasn't planning on stopping by the chapel."
"I don't care. I don't want any of you within a mile of that man--not even your father, for all he thinks he can take care of himself. Duchess or not, your friend can visit you here."
But there were nannies at Leara's castle. Nannies! It was too much to ask of Maddie, watching four children under six and a puppy just so Raia could catch up with a friend. "But it's much more convenient--"
"I don't care. I don't want any of you within a mile of that man--not even your father, for all he thinks he can take care of himself. Duchess or not, your friend can visit you here."
But there were nannies at Leara's castle. Nannies! It was too much to ask of Maddie, watching four children under six and a puppy just so Raia could catch up with a friend. "But it's much more convenient--"
"More convenient? Ha!" As if she found anything funny. "I'll tell you what's convenient, girl: staying the hell away from that man, that's what. Now, don't you be running off where that son of a bitch might find you. And if you won't think of yourself..." The old lady grabbed the edge of the table and leaned forward, peering into the sitting area. "Think of your children, at least."
Raia glanced down at her son, who was still rubbing his face against the squirming Shadow's back, then up at her daughter and brother--still bouncing but not with the energy of before, thank God. Her babies. Christ, how they drove her up the wall, both of them. And yet, daily life would've been the dullest sort of hell if they didn't.
Defeated--graciously so, almost thankfully so--Raia locked eyes with her grandmother and nodded. "I see your point."
NEXT CHAPTER:
NEXT CHAPTER:
5 comments:
1177 is going to be one looooong year. The Remiel storyline kind of demands some immediate action on the parts of a lot of the involved characters, so the posts can't be too spaced out. Meanwhile, the Rona storyline is also on a bit of a clock--not as urgent as the Remiel arc, obviously, but there are certain future events on that front that I'm hoping can fall around mid to late spring, early summer at the latest.
So... yeah. The first half of the year might be kind of packed from this point on :S
Raia is such a good mother :3
And its good to see Laveria taking precautions to protect her family, what else can she do, really?
I'm glad to hear Remiel isn't going to be hanging around for much longer, and finally an answer to Rona's problem!!!
I hope she finds happiness, and I hope Aspen does too :3
Laveria's doing pretty much all she can for her family without going to a higher authority (and in her defence, she does have decent reasons for not taking that step, although I can't imagine Lorn would go blabbing about anything she told him).
I don't know how long Remiel will be around in terms of story time, but he might be a while in real life time :S I don't know if Rona's (or Aspen's) problems will be resolved so easily either. I guess we'll see?
I wish Lorn would see sense and get rid of Remiel. Although he would probably take Lucien with him. Poor guy can't even ask for protection.
It can't be long though until Remiel comes searching for the other children...
Lorn's main problem is that he hasn't seen any firsthand evidence of Remiel's activities (that and he's desperate for a parish priest).
Yeah, while Remiel's leaving would benefit everyone else, poor Lucien gets the short end of the stick unless someone rescues him first :S
And oh, Remiel is only getting started... :S
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