In Which Alya and Her Sister Are Insufferable

August 29, 1199

"Look, I get that the baby is the cute one," Alina groaned from the bed, "but I kind of just shoved him out of an area that didn't quite accommodate his size, you know--just in case either of you have forgotten."

"Forgotten?" Shahira rolled her eyes, though she didn't waste a second before turning them back on little Bernardo. "I don't know where you've been for the past several years, but we've each done that twice."

Alya turned her head just in time to see Alina stick out her tongue. She had to chuckle. "No, seriously, Alina--we're very proud of you. But this is the first time you've had any amount of space to yourself in nine months." As if to prove her point, her new nephew nuzzled himself against her arm.

"It is--and it's quite the adjustment. Get over here, all three of you."

"As your majesty commands," Shahira sassed, nonetheless turning away with a quick smirk and joining Alina on the bed. "Never mind any crap we give you, though; no matter how awful we are, you know Gualtiero's obliged to wait on you hand and foot until this little fellow gives him some grandchildren."

"Maybe longer, if you end up still having children of your own past then," Alya chimed in, though she privately shuddered at the thought.

Alina did the same--only not so privately. "The last thing I want to think about right now is grandchildren--and children younger than grandchildren."

"Good thing you waited for Mother to leave the room before you said that!" Shahira chided--and not without cause, given that their youngest brother was a mere two months old while her own son would be seven in January. "At least Casimiro didn't have to wait long for a nephew he won't be getting hand-me-downs from."

"Speaking of hand-me-downs, I'm still waiting on those old things of Izzy's you promised for Severin."

"And you'll get them--when I get those clothes of Riona's you mentioned for Thetis."

"My God." Alina sighed. "In a few years time, I'd better still have more interesting things to talk about than children's clothing."

"Really, Alina: we're only insufferable around you. Amongst ourselves, we discuss much more interesting things."

"Such as the making of the children that wear those clothes."

"Exactly."

"Right." It was Alina's turn--and not an unjustified one--for an eye-roll. "Ugh. I hate to say it, but I'm so sore down there that I don't even want to think about that just yet."

"Ah, that's just as well." Shahira flexed her hands out in front of her and cracked her knuckles. "Gualtiero's going to be so busy catering to your every other whim that he'll be much too tired for that anyway."

NEXT CHAPTER: