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June 12, 1195
"Thank God for Renata's Aunt Cladelia," CeeCee sighed from just behind Farilon as they made their way up to the sitting room landing. "Renata was so worried about her mother acting up, but Cladelia kept her sufficiently distracted the entire time. Perhaps we ought to order her something from the bakery."
"If you like, though I maintain my stance that even Renata's mother wasn't about to make a scene at her own daughter's wedding."
"And I maintain my stance that it's a lucky thing Cladelia was around to prevent your being proven wrong. But, a happy night merits thoughts of happier things." CeeCee tugged at Farilon's wrist to spin him about. Even with the now-visible added mass of baby, his wife was a small enough person that her strength still surprised him. "So: when do you suppose Falidor and Renata will get to work on a new niece or nephew for me?"
If they truly were as eager as they'd looked tonight, then it wouldn't be long. But, Farilon and CeeCee had better ways of answering each other's questions. "Do you really want another niece or nephew? Or do you just want to share your suffering with your best friend?"
"A little of both." CeeCee blew a loose curl out of her eye, only to have it flop right back where it was. All jokes of suffering aside, she appeared to be in much better health than she'd been in those first few months, for which Farilon was grateful. "But for now, at least I can make you suffer."
"Not that you're doing a good job of it." Farilon tapped her bump twice with the tip of his finger. As always, a tiny foot repeated with perfect rhythm. "Isn't that right, Copycat?"
"I still don't know why this one keeps doing that." CeeCee let go of his arm and drummed her own fingers against her stomach. Her brows arched, as they always did when the kicks mimicked. "I don't know how we two science-and-mathematics types did it, but somehow we seem to have made a little musician."
"A drummer, from the looks of it," Farilon agreed, kneeling down to see what the kid did with a rub. A rub, it seemed, was a rest.
"You might need to ask Raia if her stepson could take Copycat on as an apprentice, if bards even take apprentices."
"No self-respecting bard would trust a Copycat."
"A pity, given that's her name."
CeeCee bit her lip, bump withdrawing somewhat. "Oh, no. That's your serious voice. You can't really be saying that our baby's name is Copycat with your serious voice."
"Hear me out; I've given this some thought." He continued massaging the mound, just in case he needed the baby to back him up later. "We should start with our parents' names, right? But you said it would be strange naming a baby after my mother because you were named after my mother."
She sniffed. "It would."
"But! Everyone calls you CeeCee instead of Celina. And you know what 'C.C.' could stand for?"
CeeCee groaned. "You're kidding."
"I'm not! Her name will be Celina, but we'll call her Copycat, since she copied your name--which you, I may point out, copied from my mother. What better name for a copycat's copycat than Copycat?"
"Farilon, putting aside the fact that that's insane, we don't even know that it's a girl."
"But she has to be, because she's Copycat." Smirking, Farilon leaned in toward her and tried for his best puppy-dog eyes. "Come on, what do you say?"
"I say you had too much to drink tonight." And yet, whenever she tilted her head and rolled her eyes like that, she was never quite so annoyed as she wished she were. "But if you actually want me to consider it, then at least promise that she'll go by Cat. That might at least have some flattering connotations."
NEXT CHAPTER:
February 16, 1195
"Don't you worry about the guests, dear." CeeCee's mother-in-law of barely more than an hour shut the door behind them and nodded toward the bed. "A woman's wedding day can be exhausting--the good kind of exhausting, mind, but exhausting all the same. I'm sure your mother and I can keep everyone occupied if you need to lie down for a while."
"Thank you." CeeCee rubbed at her arm, as if the stimulated veins within would keep her eyes open. In hindsight, perhaps the Carvallon trip--and everything that had come along with it--ought to have waited until after the wedding. Such a demanding occasion as her wedding would have better fared with her usual healthy body. "I'll try not to be more than half an hour or so."
"Oh, no trouble if you are. Many a woman needs rather long naps than that when she's expecting."
CeeCee squirmed, some lingering nausea from earlier that morning welling in her gut. She'd only told four people: Farilon, Renata, and her parents. Surely none of them would have told...?
"How did you know?"
Her mother-in-law laughed. "Well, I did birth ten of my own. I just hope any subsequent ones you have aren't this rough on you so soon."
Subsequent ones? CeeCee shuddered at the thought. "I'll tell you right now that I'm not doing this nine more times."
"I should hope not! You have a promising career ahead of you as well, and only you can figure out just how many children you feel right about taking on in addition to that. I know I couldn't have raised my ten if I'd had the demands of being a professor as well, even with the help of all the wonderful nannies we employed over the years."
The university, at least, did have nannies on staff--for her working hours, anyway. "I think I'll just focus on this one before I start worrying about any more."
"A wise decision." Her mother-in-law paid her a pat on the shoulder, then a sweet smile. "Now, do you need anything else? A cup of water, perhaps?"
"That would be nice, thank you." But even with the thought of fresh water, her stomach churned. "And maybe a bucket."
NEXT CHAPTER:
July 9, 1194
"You're married!" Eyes wide, Renata pulled Lyssa in for a hug. The ceremony had concluded mere minutes ago, and the guests had dispersed to prepare for the reception. As for Lyssa, she'd handed Landus off to his brother and dashed away to meet Renata and CeeCee in Nora's sitting room. Perhaps she and Landus ought to have been inseparable as newlyweds, but they'd agreed beforehand that they'd have each other in Carvallon; the rest of their loved ones would remain in Naroni. "When did we get so old?"
"I know! It's so strange--but good strange." Wonderful strange!
Even if she did hope that she and Landus would return to Naroni some day.
"Even if it means I'll be leaving next week."
"But it's not as if we'll never see you again," CeeCee assured her. "There's a whole two-month break between my graduation and my wedding. We could make the trip out then."
"Yes, let's! Falidor and Roddie and Alya might want to come too."
"I don't know if we'll have enough space for so many of you!" Her aunt and uncle's old house was just a cottage, after all--not a manor. "Plus, Roddie and Alya might have a baby on the way by then; they won't want to travel."
"Yes, but you might have a baby on the way by then, and you won't want to travel back when that happens." CeeCee winked--then grimaced. "Seriously, don't have a baby just yet. I don't want to have think about us being that old."
"Especially since Alina's about to pop any day now." And to think--this would be her grandfather's second great-grandchild.
"Dear Lord, yes. I should not be a great-aunt twice over at my age. Damn older siblings, making me an aunt before I was even thought of." She rolled her eyes--fondly, but an eye roll none the less. "But congratulations anyway, my dear niece who is older than I am."
"Thank you very much, my dear aunt who is younger than I am."
However many babies she had, she didn't think she wanted to have quite so many as to invoke that situation! "But seriously: do visit before the babies take over."
NEXT CHAPTER:
May 5, 1193
Of the twelve children Lord Severin had sired, CeeCee was the only one to inherit his preference for the left hand. It wasn't a thing she thought about much, given that neither her parents nor her teachers had stressed the importance of using her right. But, today, as Farilon had reached for her trembling right hand as he said goodbye to his sister, all she'd felt was her own inadequacy, her sheer lack of ability to make things better.
It was stupid to blame that on the hand. Death made people feel that way, not left-handedness. But CeeCee didn't want to think about death any more.
Farilon's family had had enough of that this year.
"Thank you for coming with me."
CeeCee stiffened. Had she not been involved with Farilon, she would have attended the funeral anyway--old family friends, after all. But, due to the complications that might arise from the fact that she was a student and he was a professor, only her parents and his mother knew that they were involved, so they'd opted not to attend as a couple. Upon arrival, though, that resolve had been half-forgotten. She'd scarcely left his side the entire time.
Farilon put away his mourning tunic and joined her on his bed, right hand fiddling with the position of his pillow. He was right-handed, but it shook just as much as her own had. "1194 had better be a damn good year."
CeeCee nodded. She would graduate in December of 1194. "Pity it's still so far off."
"But if it wasn't, there's be that much more pain to bring along into it." Farilon sighed. "She was only twenty-three. She should have had so many more years ahead of her. She should have been the one burying me."
She wished he wouldn't say that. But, she might have felt the same had it been Donnie or Thetis. "I always liked Riona. She had a real strength to her."
"My mother's strength," Farilon agreed. "Of all my sisters, she was the most like my mother, I think."
"Eldona and Lileina might grow into it." But, of course, Riona already had. "Her poor children. I know they have plenty of others around who love them to pieces, but still."
"I guess there are times when love just has to be enough."
It seemed a final note, a last profound thought before a troubled night, and CeeCee had no answer for it. Yet, instead of turning in, they sat in silence. Seconds ticked. Minutes dragged. It couldn't have been more than a quarter hour, but it might as well have been years.
Finally, Farilon spoke. "Will you marry me?"
CeeCee looped the lace of her nightgown around one finger, staring at the wall across from her as if it might crumble. It was the worst time for that question. But, it was the only time.
"Yes."
It was the last word either of them spoke before morning.
NEXT CHAPTER:
March 19, 1192
"What were you doing out in the pouring rain? On your birthday?" Farilon jabbed one of the hearth's logs with the poker. CeeCee watched the sparks fall to their bed of ashes. Maybe that was all she herself was doing, coming here like this. "I thought your friends would have thrown you a nice party or something."
"It's on Saturday." Saturday, the first day of spring. With that frigid rain, one couldn't have guessed it was only two days away. "I couldn't sleep.
"And I'm sick of us not speaking."
"Me too. I'm sorry about that." He sighed, then offered her a hand and pulled her off the couch. The heat from the fire crept beneath her cloak and warmed the bare legs beneath. "It's all right that you're not taking my classes. I made a bigger deal of it than I should have."
"About that--"
"You don't need to explain."
"But I want to." Did she? She'd kind of hoped he would have figured it out. But if he needed her to tell him, then this was her chance. This was why she'd come here, after all. "Thing is... I thought it would be better if you weren't my teacher."
"Sorry?"
"I mean--if you were my teacher, I couldn't... I couldn't..."
"Couldn't...?"
It was easier to show than tell.
"CeeCee..." The name was little more than a breath as they finally broke away some minutes later. It had been a long time in the making, after all. "I... I think I've wanted to kiss you for a while now."
"Were you ready for it?"
He nodded.
"Are you--" She untied the belt of her cloak and let the garment slide off her body. His jaw fell agape as he realized she wore nothing underneath. "--ready for a little more?"
It took a couple seconds--but again, a nod. "Are you?"
"Oh, Farilon. I'm a Kemorin." She worked her hand down from his shoulder and started on his laces. "And it's my birthday."
NEXT CHAPTER:
January 28, 1192
"Farilon! I thought you would have gone back to your house by now."
"I'm on my way there right now." Farilon kissed CeeCee on the cheek and stepped back, his hand still on her arm. She didn't brush him aside, which was a good sign. So... surely there was an explanation that wasn't personal? "I was just passing by and thought I'd come see you."
"Really? I would have figured I'd see plenty of you once term started."
"I guess so." Was that an opening? It seemed a little obvious. But maybe it wasn't? He wasn't good at this. "But, uh... if you want to see even more of me, there's still time to rearrange your class schedule."
CeeCee pulled back her arm. Yes--too obvious. "What."
"Well, you said you'd maybe take one of my classes this semester, but you aren't signed up for--"
"You do know the meaning of 'maybe', right?"
Someone needed to write more books on social situations. "Yes..."
"So you realize that there was always the possibility that I wouldn't."
"Yes, but... I thought we were friends."
"So I'm obligated to take your classes just because we're friends?"
"No, but..."
"But what? A lot of other people signed up for your classes, so it's not like you need me in there to fill a seat. Why do you keep pestering me about this?"
Did he really have to spell it out? Should he spell it out?
"Damn it, CeeCee, there just aren't many people I feel comfortable around!"
"And not many who feel comfortable around you, if this is how you act when you don't get your way!"
God. She had a point there. But what else was he supposed to do? Rolling over and being miserable didn't work either. "I'm sorry, all right. I just... damn it, I thought you'd be interested in my classes."
"Well, maybe I'm interested in other things too. Or maybe you just thought wrong. Or maybe--" She scowled, riled further by the mere thought. "--I just don't like other people telling me what I should or shouldn't be doing!"
"So it's personal?"
"At this point, maybe it is." She tossed her head to the side, at just the right angle to allow for the sight of her flaring nostrils. "Now, would you rather leave on your own, or should I find a guard to escort you?"
NEXT CHAPTER:
June 2, 1191
"Will you be staying with your mother and stepfather during the break?" CeeCee flopped back onto Farilon's couch and tried to fish a grin out of him with one of her own. It only half-worked.
"I might. It would be nice to get a little better-acquainted with my new niece."
"Oh, right. Searle's daughter." Searle Sadiel had a daughter. What a strange thought. "Yes, I think that will do you both well."
"Almost as well as you taking one of my classes next semester would," Farilon agreed as he sat down beside her.
CeeCee grimaced. It was probably best to keep mum about that for now. "Maybe..."
"I was surprised not to see you in one this term, actually. I know you're not majoring in my faculty, but my mechanics classes would complement your mathematics classes nicely. I thought you'd be interested."
"I am interested. I'm just... interested in a lot of things. I had to go with what best fit my schedule." It was true enough that it would do for now.
"Fair enough." All the same, he didn't look too happy about it--even if he did fork over the other half of that smile. "Anyway, what about you? Are you heading back home soon?"
"I'll be back and forth. I want to get a bit of a head start on some readings."
"Then maybe I'll see you in the library--steer you toward some of the books on my reading list."
"Ah, right." She wouldn't object to that. The physics texts would make for some interesting reading, even if she didn't end up getting credit for them. "Well, I should have plenty of time to check some out."
NEXT CHAPTER:
May 10, 1191
"Renata!" CeeCee barely gave her a chance to stand up and meet her. Fridays saw CeeCee off to a later class schedule than Renata, Alya, and Lyssa; she claimed not to mind normally, as some extra sleep in the morning gave her more energy for a night at the inn, but today was an exception to that rule. "Happy birthday!"
"Thank you," Renata choked as her friend eased up on the hug. "And don't worry; none of the party guests have shown up yet."
"Don't Lyssa and Alya count as guests?" CeeCee mock-glared at her nieces over Renata's shoulder. "If my memory is correct, neither served the minimum planning time required of a co-host."
"We would have if someone hadn't taken issue with all of our ideas," Alya muttered, not so quietly that she could have thought CeeCee wouldn't hear.
"If you don't want me to take issue with your ideas, you might consider coming up with some that are actually decent."
"And what, pray tell," Lyssa asked, "is so less-than-decent about making it a formal?"
"Why bother with our best clothes when half the guests will end up taking them off anyway?"
"CeeCee!"
"Oh, don't pretend you aren't at least a little envious of them." There was almost a sigh in that sentiment. Renata had to raise a brow at the un-CeeCee-ness of it. "Anyway, Renata: your present is in your room."
Present? "I thought I told everyone not to get me any presents."
"You did, but what sort of best friend would I be if I listened?" CeeCee winked. "You'll like it. I promise."
"I'd better."
With a smirk to her friends and an encouraging wave from Alya in turn, Renata spiraled up the staircase, two steps at a time in some cases. Scorpio House, like the other university residences, housed eight bedrooms on the top floor, essentially two squares with a room at each corner, one bathroom to two bedrooms forming parallels to the front door. The sitting room staircase emerged in the section of hall between the first four bedrooms, those of the three girls downstairs and Dea; Renata hurried along it and turned at the corner, crossing to half currently home to her and her cousin Celina. She fished the key to her room--Room Six--out of her pocket and slipped it into the lock, trying not to think about how few qualms CeeCee seemed to have about picking it.
But at the sight of what lay on the bed, that lack of qualms was instantly forgiven. "Oh my God!"
It took a conscious effort not to tear the fabric as she shed her dress with glee, flinging it to the floor and not much caring if it crumpled. The black shirt was a perfect match to the chausses she already wore, a subtle plaid pattern just visible enough to make it more interesting. The silver tunic slipped over it with a comfortable ease, and the longer red with more of it after. One belt later and she was quite possibly the most pleased she'd ever been with an outfit lacking chainmail.
"Best present ever!"
"What? We were supposed to bring presents after all?"
It was Falidor's voice. Renata grinned. "Your sister broke my rule--but I'll let her get away with it this time."
"Oh?"
She smoothed the front of the tunic over and opened the door. "My mother would have a heart attack if she saw this."
"If that's true, then she wouldn't know style if it danced naked in front of her." But Falidor's eyes made no effort to hide his widened horizons. "You're so beautiful."
Not a lot of people told her that. But lately, she'd decided that beauty was not so much a thing that some possessed and some didn't so much as it was a thing some simply failed to see.
"I know."
NEXT CHAPTER:
