In Which Falidor Won't Lie to Her

November 17, 1183

"Hello, sweetie," Falidor muttered as he lifted his day-old daughter from her crib. He'd never thought it right to hope for one sex of baby over the other, and he'd always made a point to put the health of mother and child alike first in his mind... but while he'd done the latter still, he would have been lying to himself if he thought he hadn't hoped for a girl this time. He suspected that Raia had been of the same opinion, going by the smile on her face when she'd named the baby for her late sister.

And knowing that had been the plan, fate had smiled on them indeed. Viridia not only had Raia's brown eyes--her Aunt Viridis's brown eyes--like the rest of their mutual children, but she was also the first blonde among Falidor's biological children. Going by the few strands she had so far, it was more like his brothers' hair than Raia's sister's, bright and sunny rather than silvery and star-like, but Falidor counted that a blessing; she may have been named for her aunt, may have resembled her, but the hair would be a reminder of who she really was.

Her own sweet self.

"I know you haven't been with us all that long, but I hope you know we adore you already--even Rio, though you'll have to excuse him for the first while. He's used to being the baby of the family." Though privately, Falidor thought Rio would make an excellent big brother in time.

"Starting in the new year, you'll be coming to work with me at your grandfather's castle. Your mama will be working at the university, which is further away. But you'll still see her in the evenings, and on Saturdays and Sundays." Surely Viridia would understand? Well... as well as a baby could, at least. But she'd need an occupation too, one day. She may have been named for her aunt, but she was still Raia's daughter. "For a while, at least. They'll eventually have a nursery at the university, so when you're big enough for the longer ride, you can go there if you prefer.

"Or you can keep coming to work with me. I don't mind, and I know your grandfather and your Aunt Nora won't either."

And surely her cousin Celina wasn't so much older as to be a disinterested playmate? And who knew, maybe Jadin and Xeta would conceive again soon. But Viridia would never lack for cousins, that was certain.

Cousins, or love. "I won't lie to you. I'm a busy man--and your mama is a busy woman. But even though we won't be around all the time, that doesn't mean that we don't love you. We have a lot in our lives and we like it that way, but you and your siblings will always be first. You know that, right?"

Viridia blew a little bubble as he lowered her from his shoulder to his arm. He took that as a 'Yes'.

NEXT CHAPTER: