In Which Raia Isn't Told

August 3, 1180

It was Falidor's day off, and he was more than willing to watch Rio. Alina and Sev, having been cooped up inside the past couple of days with a light summer cold, were now in peak condition and had been quite keen to take the dog for a lengthy walk. With the kids off her back for the afternoon, Raia had hoped to finish the detailing on that rocking horse. Her sister wasn't due until November, and after that it would still be some time before the baby was old enough to play with it... but she'd been staring at the unfinished thing long enough. And besides, Riona had a two-year-old who would be delighted to test out the toy for her new little brother (as Riona insisted) or sister (as Isidro dared argue). There wasn't any shortage of reasons for wanting to get it done.

But, as she should have figured, she'd barely had a chance to punch a pattern into the saddle before Falidor was calling her from the front room. "Rio does eat solid foods, you know."

Falidor smirked. "I noticed. But I don't think your brother and his friend are looking for me."

Raia peered over his shoulder to see Lonriad waving at her from the table, Rona's husband seated beside him. Somehow, even all these years after moving out of her father's castle, the assumption that 'your brother and his friend' drew to mind was still 'Searle and Sparron'. "You're sure they're not here to arrange a boys' night?"

"With an old geezer like me? I doubt it."

Raia rolled her eyes. He was never going to get over that one grey hair, was he? "You're not that old."

Her husband indulged himself with a self-deprecating laugh. "Tell that to my grandkids. Besides, they asked for you."

Behind him, Lonriad nodded with an over-the-top grin. Raia ignored him. "You could have just said that."

"Yes, well... I didn't." Good God. That apologetic smile was so pathetic it was adorable. "Anyway, I'll leave them to you. Kiddo here needs a bath anyway."

"Noooo!" Rio wailed in protest as his father landed a tickle beneath his smudged cheek. "Mama, help!"

Raia shook her head. Neither Alina nor Sev had ever put up a fight at bath time; so much for hoping any subsequent children would be the same. "You're on your own there, buddy." She kissed her son on her head and her husband on the mouth as their paths crossed, the two of them headed upstairs while she went to join her guests at the table.

"All right, what do you want, brat?" She pulled up the chair across from her brother and stared him down like he owed her money--but not without sparing a wink for Ashe, who returned it with a shy nudge of the eyebrows. Raia only knew him by sight, but from what she knew of him, the reservation was unsurprising.

Lonriad stuck out his tongue. "I have brats of my own now, in case you haven't been paying attention."

"I have been, so I know that Sevvie and Adonis aren't brats--but you still are." And like with all of her brothers, he always would be and probably knew it--but so they didn't get stuck discussing the obvious, she got right back to the point. "Why are you here?"

Nothing.

"Well?" Her brother turned to his friend with a coaxing gesture. "Tell her."

Ashe frowned. "No, you tell her."

"You tell her."

"No, you."

"Your problem."

"Your sister."

"You tell her."

"No, y--"

"Right, I get it." Ugh. They were worse than children. "I can't say I care who tells me, but if you need any help, there's not much I can do if I don't know what the problem is."

The men--boys, more like--shared a glance. Finally, Lonriad caved and sighed. "Any idea when Tavrin will be visiting next?"

"Given his patterns, probably tomorrow." Not that Lonriad had ever shown any interest in Tavrin beyond the initial fascination and a short-lived experiment in public nudity of which their mother had banned any mention. "Why?"

Another awkward silence, this one marked with a pair of grimaces that made Falidor's look downright bold. "Uh, well... he knows where Deian is, doesn't he?" Ashe ventured, rocking his chair back in his discomfort.

Raia blinked. "Why would you want to see Deian?"

He blanked into that cornered, mock-clueless look she guessed he must have learned from Jadin. "Uh... do I need a reason?"

"Kind of. Known homicidal maniac and all."

"Oh. Right." But he didn't offer any explanation beyond that.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

He shrugged. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

"Oh, she does," chided Lonriad, seemingly half in her defense and half teasingly. "But don't get your hopes up, Rai. This idiot doesn't have the greatest record where full disclosure is concern--ow!" Scowling Ashe's way, he reached down to massage his shin. "The hell? Aren't you a little old for kicking people under the table?"

And with that, bath-hating Rio suddenly seemed much more mature. "Just come back tomorrow, all right? For now, get out."

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