In Which Jadin Considers the Boundaries

March 13, 1179

"He did what?" Of all the times for a new baby to keep Papa home from the inn! Florian's antics had been quiet these past months--mourning the baroness, no doubt, the one who'd always laughed the loudest at the mention of his hi-jinx--but in recent weeks, he'd returned to his hilarity with a newfound vigor. All while Jadin was occupied with the little fellow. Thank God for friends' reports--even if they weren't without their sting. "Of everything I could have missed! Is there any chance of a repeat event?"

Penna just laughed. "You know what Florian thinks about doing the same thing twice."

"Ah, yes--something about patterns and predictability and that unfortunate risk of appearing sane." Xeta's maid gave a knowing smirk. She'd worked at Seoth's place before Xeta had hired her and knew Florian stories that had never before left those walls; on a couple of occasions, she'd even assisted. Some men didn't let their wives choose their own maids, but frankly Jadin couldn't have picked a better one himself. It was just too bad she was happily married. "Do you think Seoth managed to find all those lizard eggs?"

"Half the fun will be finding that out!"

Dear Lord, he just hoped he didn't miss that. "I can't believe some of them found their way into Lonriad's wine."

"You and everyone else; I'm surprised Ashe and Abrich didn't kill themselves laughing." And if it had gotten those two laughing, it must have been priceless indeed. This kid better grow up to be hilarious. "It'll be a few days yet before your sister-in-law's willing to kiss him again."

"With a baby two months away, she's not liable to be generous with kisses anyway."

Jadin grinned as he saw Xeta step forth from the corridor, the baby in arm and Nora a few paces behind. If she'd spoken the truth, then she and Asalaye were two very different women. "You never seemed to mind."

"Well, it's a bit more forgivable if one's mouth is the least erogenous area her husband intends on kissing."

Penna let out an appreciative chortle as she retired to the couch, but Jadin could only manage a grimace. Xeta was never shy with naughty jokes between the two of them, and being Xeta's maid, Penna probably did have some unavoidable knowledge of their sex life... but in front of Nora? His stepmother didn't need to know where he liked to kiss his wife--and didn't want to, almost certainly. And with the baby around? Not that he could understand them, but wasn't it a matter of principle?

Ah, but the kid wasn't even a month old yet. Maybe Xeta was still feeling the lingering effects of the birth and her sense of boundaries had been distorted somewhat. Did that happen to women? Not for the first time, Jadin regretted not paying more attention to his mother and stepmother post-new baby sibling. "I'll grant you that. Shouldn't this little wolf be down for his nap?"

"Not without seeing Papa first--and he has a name, you know."

"Yes, and he shares it with two cousins--not to mention Grandpapa, who actually lives with us."

Nora raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, who's living with whom?"

"Ah, technicalities! Point is, we've got two Severins under one roof and we're going to drive ourselves mad if we can't find a nickname that sticks." He landed a fond tickle on his son's stomach. He'd secretly hoped for another girl--for all he'd never admit it aloud, Lyssa had been far more fun an infant than Dalston--but this little one had just as many swipes and smiles in store as his sister before him. With any luck, he'd rub off on his shy, serious brother. "I think the alpha pup agrees with me."

"The alpha pup thinks you're out of your mind." The alpha pup protested by batting a lock of Mama's hair. For all Jadin had been confined to quarters this past month, it was nice to once again have a child young enough to take his side--not that relations with Xeta's side were particularly strained. "But that's all right, because he's going to bed soon. And so are we."

"We? But it's not even lunch... oh." Well. How the hell could he argue with that? But again, with people around? "In front of Nora? Really?"

"Oh, by all means, don't mind me." Nora's eyes dripped with as much annoyance as her mouth did sarcasm. "Once you hit thirty-five, you magically forget what sex is anyway."

"Then how do you and his lordship manage to wear out so many mattresses? Jumping on the bed?"

Yes. Yes, it had to have been the boundaries. "Umm, Xeta... the thought of my parents having sex isn't exactly a libido boost."

"Then I'll just have to remedy that when I get you alone."

Over Xeta's shoulder, Jadin caught Nora exchanging a glance with a no-longer-laughing Penna. Neither of them were stupid. There was something strange going on with Jadin's wife and neither had failed to notice. And if he hadn't loved his wife as much as he did, he might have gotten in on that glance as well. "All right..."

"Nora, could you take the baby for me?"

For all she'd been asked, Nora wasn't given much time to protest. But she took the baby with a gracious smile while the kid himself looked over at Jadin. The adults weren't the only ones who'd sensed something amiss.

Xeta gave the baby a quick kiss, then sprung into Jadin's arms and let him carry her to the corridor. So she hadn't been kidding. Perhaps she just needed to get it out of her system? He hoped that was what it was.

God, he hoped that was all it was.

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