In Which Severin Has One More Reason

April 9, 1177

"Quite bit bigger than the last few, isn't she?" Severin noted, raising the baby to his shoulder and rubbing her back with the tips of his fingers. As little as he'd planned on another child--hell, as little as he'd planned on the last ten of them--it couldn't be too much of an issue, having another little one around the castle. Roddie was now living with Isidro and Riona as a page, and in the interest of fairness that meant that Falidor would be going to Searle and Donnie to Lonriad. It was only a matter of time before Vera was out of here too, as well as his stepchildren. That left CeeCee and the new baby, plus Jadin's children; as crowded as it was, he supposed it would be nice not dying in an empty house.

"You couldn't tell from Nora's screams?" Chuckling to herself, his mother blew a kiss toward her newest little granddaughter. She probably never thought she'd have so many. "Anyway. I gave Nora a mixture of mine. Told her to take it every morning after breakfast; as long as she's diligent about it, you should be able to avoid having another child while still keeping yourselves occupied."

Only now? Oh well. Now that he had them, he wouldn't have given up the kids he already had. Still... "Mother, if my arms weren't so full of baby right now, I'd be twirling you all around the room."

"Well it was damn necessary, considering you apparently have all the self-control of an adolescent rabbit." She smirked, gesturing for him to let her see the baby again; Severin lowered the girl to his mother's eye level, earning the baby a wave a silly face. "Cute little things, though. But for God's sake, you're forty-four years old; most people your age are dead."

"An odd thought, coming from my own mother."

"Oh, just shut your damn mouth and let me get my fill of this little girl while I have the chance." While I have the chance? That was an odd choice of phrasing. "You know, I was hoping she wouldn't be born until that Lorn boy had found another priest, but I suppose she won't be out of your sight for a while anyway."

"And speaking of Lorn's priests, are you ever going to tell me exactly what's going on with Brother Remiel?"

His mother sprung out of her hunch and glared at him, though he nearly missed it in his shock. He probably would have frozen at the sound of his own slip if not for the baby in his arms. It was a happy day and he'd promised himself he wouldn't ruin it by pestering her, but some part of him must have had other ideas. Maybe it was the sensible part. There were some crises even a birth couldn't push aside.

"Well? Are you?"

Her eyes flickered toward the bedroom door, then to the baby--then back to his, a hurt sort of annoyance throughout. "Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you when you say he's bad news." And how could she think he didn't? After what he'd done to Severin's little girl? "But you haven't been clear on the details. How do you know him anyway?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business."

And how was it not? Especially if she knew Brother Remiel as well as she seemed to. Especially now that Severin had one more reason to get to the bottom of this. "Mother, if my family is in danger, then anything you can tell me is my business."

"Just stay away from him." She tapped her foot, the finality of the beat lingering in a paradoxical echo. "Stay away from him, and keep your children and grandchildren away from him too. That's all you need to know."

"Mother, I'm not satisfied."

She shrugged, then turned around and made her way back toward the bedroom. "Tough."

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