Summer Jams 4: Presidio - Part II

“Lord Kasen is a gentleman.  He would not say that.” Ilyana appeared unconvinced.

Several pairs of eyes looked at her as if wondering what filter she used when looking at Kasen.  It wasn’t that Tori thought her brother was perfect, but she knew that the side of him he showed to their family, and that her friends saw, was the kindest version of him.

Piers wouldn’t be so obedient to Kasen if Kasen hadn’t tamed him in some way, and knowing Piers and Kasen, it wasn’t through food and hugs.

“Instructor Ignatius would beg to differ,” Henrik said in a calm voice.

JP nodded.  Ilyana wrinkled her nose and looked towards the fenced off chicken coop in the distance, where Kasen was kneeling on the ground behind Fiona, helping her set up little wooden hurdles for her chickens.

“Daddy, I have a question about this charm format.  If we are not near a large body of water, cool air will have no effect to form fog.  I can’t create a large body of water with charms.”  Robert walked down the path with  a look of frustration and confusion on his face.

Kasen stood up and looked over.  “Break down the concept and see if it can be applied to an area without a large body of water.  There are water particles in the air, and air is all around us.”

Robert furrowed his brows and looked down at his notebook, as if willing the answer to come to him.

“I’ve seen that look,” Sonia said from inside the fenced off chicken coop area where she was helping hammer together little hurdles based on the ones they used when riding horses.  “That’s the look Tori gets when she’s doing crystal fanatic work.”

“Stop calling it that!”  Tori scowled.  “I am just passionate about my interests.”

Sonia snickered and returned to her wood crafts.  “Yes...’passionate’.”

“Prince Piers said you tried to light things on fire,” JP said.

“Piers says a lot of things!”

“Tori, are you taking proper precautions when you do experiments?” Constantine asked with a slight frown.

“Of course, I am!”

“All right...Archbishop Florakis has gotten carried away before so....”  He trailed off and Tori ran a hand down her face.

“For your information, we follow strict operational safety and hazard applications when we do experiments,” Tori told them.  “Cosora has a department dedicated to regulating safety of all workers based on their occupation in order to ensure the health of our people.  We follow guild regulations and recommended practices from senior workers.”

“Tori is very strict about safety and health in the delta,” Ilyana told Constantine.  “She’s invested a lot of money into the medical infrastructure, too.”

“I’d say it’s also the reason why the Cosora Delta is attracting a lot of attention.  Moving to the delta is strictly regulated with preference going to family members of former refugees, and to workers who currently work on construction,” Albert said. “But there are many inquiries.”

“Imperial knights who have served there for a duration of time also get a letter of registry for the future,” Tori said.  “They have to live and work in Horizon, but if they retire or are injured and must leave the imperial knights, I and the council have agreed to welcome them and assist with job placement, as they’ve helped not only with guarding and security, but building and organization during the resettlement period.”

“Is that like Sir Atienza?” Ilyana asked.

Tori nodded.  Currently, Sir Atienza was still recovering in Horizon.  He was likely the most skilled knight present at the time of the attack, and thus the most dangerous, so many of the attackers focused on him to try to stop him from coming up after them.  He was unconscious when their people found him, had lost a lot of blood, and a horse had trampled over his left side.

His injuries were serious and the best doctors in Horizon said he would not be able to meet the physical requirements of imperial knights even after he healed.  There would also be lingering sequelae, including a limp and the inability to tighten his grip as much as before.

That was a death sentence to knighthood.

Imperial knights spent their youths dedicating themselves to reaching their positions.  Sir Atienza wasn’t very old and was nowhere near retirement age.  He wasn’t even near the age when first tier knights began to be reassigned to less physically demanding positions.   Losing his career was a blow to him.

Tori, Piers, and Axton had been worried that this would trigger depression.  There was a saying in the first-tier knights, Axton had once told her, ‘better to die in glory than live and lose everything’.

Just before she left, Tori approached Sir Atienza after some observation and asked if he’d be willing to work in her delta with community patrols and safety and emergency procedures.  The man who was bandaged up on a bed had red eyes as he agreed and thanked her.

“Don’t thank me.  It may be difficult for you to meet the physical requirements for a first-tier knight, but you are not useless.  Your mind is what I need,” she had told him with some arrogance.  Her arrogance had a surprisingly positive effect.

Axton said that Sir Atienza was much more willing to work on his recovery, and that Sir Dobchek and the others were somewhat envious that now Sir Atienza could live in the delta and had a cushy job with benefits waiting for him.

There was a nice neighborhood being built next to Deer Hill that Sir Atienza expressed interest in, and Tori sent Axton to show him the plots on a map and let him pick whichever one he wanted.  After all, Sir Atienza was injured trying to save her.  It was his duty, as assigned by Piers, but it shouldn't come without compensation.

Sir Atienza picked a well-sized plot suitable for a multiple family dwelling near the artisan quarters, just across the Alvere-Fekete Bridge, meaning, he was just across the river from the Promenade, which had been extended upriver.  Riverside and locations with views of the river were in high demand.

It wasn’t an area too busy with tourists, but he wasn’t far from where entertainment and food was.  It was an ideal spot for him, and once he recovered well enough to move, his new home would be ready.

Tori also planned to extend job offers to the two knights who were Gideon’s escorts that had been in critical condition.  One was stable now, but still in far worse shape than Sir Atienza.  The other was still unconscious.

“With a growing population, and more and more visitors, we need order in case there are those who cause trouble for the villagers.  Imperial knights also have experience in emergency services, so that is very useful.  We live by the sea and a river; nature can overpower us at any time and we should be prepared,” Tori said.  “Anyway, if people were going to ignore my brother’s wishes, then having to reiterate it in such a harsh way is necessary.  I also think Herrera deserved it.  How dare she?  Who does she think she is?”

Ilyana furrowed her brows and looked down.  “I’m glad Lord Kasen is taking a firm stance on this.  Many nannies and women around my father said many cruel things to me when I was Fifi’s age.  They even scared me and told me that if I told Daddy, he’d hate me for complaining, so I didn’t tell him for a long time.”

Tori reached over and pulled Ilyana against her as Constantine put a hand on Ilyana’s shoulder to comfort her.  It was clear that even now, as an adult, the effects of such a childhood lingered.

“They’re gone now, and you have a loving mother and little brother,” Tori told her in a gentle voice.

Ilyana nodded.  “I know it’s possible to have a loving stepmother.  I know it’s possible to be loved and treated no differently from a half-sibling, but I also know that not everyone is as lucky as I was.”

Little arms wrapped around Ilyana’s legs and they looked down to see Fiona hugging her.  “It’s okay, Auntie Ilyana.  You’re okay.  I’m okay, too.  Our daddies will take care of us.”

Ilyana knelt down and hugged Fiona tightly.  “If anyone is telling you something that hurts you, no matter what it is, you tell your dad.  You have to tell your dad.  He’ll be sad if you don’t tell him that someone is hurting you.”  There was a tight desperation in her voice and Tori knew she was speaking from experience, which made hearing her even more painful.

“Was your daddy sad when you didn’t tell him?” Fiona asked in a quiet voice.

Ilyana nodded with red eyes.  “Daddy was very sad.  He cried because I suffered.”

Fiona was quiet for a moment.  She looked down, one hand still holding on to Ilyana’s dress.  “What happened when you told your daddy?” Fiona asked in a quiet voice as her big brown eyes glanced towards Kasen.

Tori felt her heart ache and a sinking feeling came to her stomach.  Ilyana also seemed to become alarmed.

“Daddy got rid of those women who said mean things to me.  He became more careful about who was around me.  He made it clear that he didn’t want to get married and refused social events because he knew he would be targeted.  He told me over and over that I came first,” Ilyana answered the child carefully.  “I was much happier.”

Fiona looked at her, confused.  “But didn’t your daddy get married?  You have a mommy.  I’ve seen her.  She’s really nice and pretty.”

“Yes, but Daddy married Mommy because I loved Mommy,” Ilyana said with a tearful smile.  “Remember how I told you that I sneaked away in a wagon when Mommy left because I didn’t want her to leave?”

Fiona nodded her head.  “Oh....”

“Fifi, it doesn’t matter if your daddy gets married or not.  What matters is that you’re happy.  If you and Robi are happy, then he’s happy.  We’re all happy.  So, if someone is being mean to you or says mean things, you have to tell him.  Your Auntie Tori always says communication is important,” Ilyana said as she cupped Fiona’s face.  “And it really is.”

Fiona nodded.  She looked at the ground for a while and grasped the sides of her yellow tunic with the chick embroidery.  She seemed to be thinking something over.

“Daddy....”

“Yes, Fifi?” Kasen asked.  He had been standing by the fence, watching carefully, and almost appearing to be waiting.  Fiona turned around and looked up at him hesitantly.

“Can I tell you something?”

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

There were very few times when Tori had seen Kasen surrounded by such a murderous aura that it surprised her.  Even when she was injured, he was angry, but he didn’t look as if he wanted to kill someone.

“I have spoken about my children over and over.  It is no secret I love them,” Kasen said in a low voice as Tori and Sebastian watched him seethe in front of Sebastian’s desk.  “Are they so envious of my children that they would go out of their way to harm them?”

“Yes,” Sebastian said without hesitation.  “You were a golden bachelor, Kasen.  Suddenly adopting two children, while not uncommon in the marches, can cause an uproar because of your status.”

“My status...”  Kasen spat out the words.  “They told her that she was a burden to me.  That she’d be discarded once I was married - replaced once I had another child!  And those weren’t the worst things they told her.”  His face was twisted with pain and Tori bit her lips as her eyes reddened.  Kasen shook his head.  “I’m not going to get married and certainly don’t plan to have any more children.  Robi and Fifi are more than enough!”

There was frustration in his eyes, as if wished the world would understand how much he valued his children.

“Fifi was hiding it so well,” Tori said, looking down.  “No wonder she didn’t want to go to the luncheons.”  She looked towards Kasen.  “Did Robi know?”

Kasen closed his eyes.  “They told Robi the same things, and both he and Fifi didn’t want to tell me because they didn’t want to complain and worried I would be upset.”

“You are upset,” Sebastian pointed out.  Kasen shot him a glare.

“Upset at them!” Kasen threw his arms up.  “This isn’t their fault, and they were holding it in.”

“Fifi and Robi love you a lot,” Tori told him.  “Of course, they knew this would upset you, so they didn’t want to tell you.”

“They’re so young.  How could they keep this to themselves?”  Defeated, her brother sat down on the sofa across from her and covered his face with his hands.  “I am their father...I should protect them.”

“You must speak to them, so they understand and trust you,” Sebastian told him.  “Robi, especially.  He’s older and is very sensitive to others.  He had to protect his sister all his life; he is used to trying to carry a burden by himself.”

“They’re very strong children, Kasey, but they are still just children,” Tori said.  Kasen nodded his head.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  “I should go and thank Lady Ilyana for encouraging Fifi.  If she hadn’t told Fifi to tell me, Fifi might still be hiding it.  It is one thing if we try to tell her, but Lady Ilyana was in a similar situation.  Fifi would feel more inclined to listen to what she says about the matter.”

Tori nodded.  “They’re on the roof, watching stars with the telescope.”

Kasen nodded as Tori stood up.

“Fifi doesn’t remember all the names of the people who said those things to her, so we can only pay closer attention,” Sebastian said.  “Don’t let her go through this alone again.”

“I know.”  Kasen rose to his feet and followed Tori out.

“This isn’t your fault,” she said as she walked ahead of him.

“You can’t say I don’t have a part in it,” he replied behind her.  “But, thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You almost beat Herrera today,” Kasen said.  “Don’t think I didn’t notice.”

Tori shrugged.  “I was representing myself and the family.  I wouldn't get into a brawl, even if everyone expected me to.”

“Your reputation isn’t getting any better.”

“Who cares about my reputation?  At least I don’t go around verbally abusing children and instigating conflict amongst them,” Tori said with a sneer.  “If only we had more names....”

They climbed up to the battlements, towards the area where Tori and her friends had set up their celebration area during Sebastian’s wedding.  Her friends were there, and Constantine was helping the children adjust a telescope to look for stars.

Ilyana was reading out the coordinates from a book while the others were playing a game.

“Daddy!” Fiona saw Kasen enter and her face lit up.  Earlier, she had been red and flushed, her eyes swollen from crying after she told Kasen about the cruel things that had been said to her.  Robert had confirmed and had appeared ashamed.  Ashamed of what, Tori wasn’t sure, but Kasen had spent the late afternoon soothing and reassuring them.

“Did you find any stars?” Kasen asked as he knelt down beside his children.

“So far, we’ve found  three constellations,” Robert reports.  “We’re looking for Auntie Tori’s birth sign, the celestial fire chicken.”

“The stars don’t look like the animals in the book,” Fiona complained.  Tori held back a laugh.  Did she expect to see them connected with lines?

Kasen chuckled and stroked her hair.  “Well, you keep looking.  You have to use your imagination.”

Fiona let out a dramatic sigh.  “I just wanted to see the celestial fire chicken....”

Kasen smiled and then looked towards Ilyana.  He slowly rose back to his feet.  “Lady Ilyana, may I have a word with you?”

“Huh?” She looked up from the book, a bit surprised, but nodded.  “Yes, Lord Kasen.”  She handed the book to Robert and walked towards the exit.  Tori gathered Fiona and walked to the telescope to let the two talk.

It wasn’t until later that night that Ilyana told her in a daze that she couldn’t believe Kasen had thanked her.

Tori chuckled.  Ilyana sat on the sofa in Tori’s room.  Fiona and her brother were ‘camping’ on the battlements with Kasen that night, so she had her room to herself for the first time in days.  “My brother isn’t ungrateful, you know.”

“I know, I know!  I just...I just didn’t expect him to thank me.  I just talked to Fifi because I knew how it felt and I don’t want her to go through what I did,” Ilyana said with a blush.  She lowered her eyes and couldn’t hide the shy smile on her lips.  “It’s a bit flattering.”

“He really appreciates what you did for Fiona, and for Robert for that matter.  I am, too,” Tori said.  She looked at Ilyana curiously.  “You’re not at all disappointed that my brother doesn’t want to marry?”

Ilyana knit her brows together and looked at her, confused.  “Why would I be disappointed?”

Tori crinkled her eyes.  “No reason....”

Ilyana sighed and leaned back against the sofa.  “Do you think Fifi is ready to try another of those parties?”

“I don’t know.  Only Fifi can properly gauge how she feels.  I can only encourage and support her when the time comes.”  It surprised her that after Fiona spilled her guts to Kasen, she came to her with puffy red eyes, still wiping her tears, and told her that she was going to go to the next party because she was ‘daddy’s daughter and a Guevera does not yield’.

Tori had encouraged her, but still harbored some concern.  After all, Fiona was so little, and she was up against children of all ages and some bitter adults.  However, she couldn’t be overprotective.  First, if Kasen approved of his children attending, then as their aunt, she had to respect his wishes.

Kasen’s decision was not made lightly.  He’d sat and talked to both children together, and individually, to address why words were being said to them, how they felt, how it should be addressed to their benefit, and what to do and not to do.  Tori had caught a few sentences and wished he didn’t use Victoria as an example of how to make enemies with other children, as it was embarrassing, but she supposed it was best that the children understand the consequences of one’s actions.

Robert, being the older one, understood this best.  It was likely why he was able to adjust and put on a look of indifference.  Although, it did make her heart ache that her sweet nephew had to harden his heart so early.

Tori let out a heavy sigh.  “If I could beat everyone up, I would.”

Ilyana nodded with agreement.  She narrowed her eyes.  “Like the children, I also need practice.”

Tori looked over at her with a raised brow.  “But you’re quite good with dealing with nobles already.”  Ilyana was very popular in Horizon and had no problem chatting up older wealthy women during their Lions Gate events.

Ilyana lowered her eyes.  “Not like this.  Talking to them for Lions Gate is one thing.  Talking to them on something like this is different.  They’re very judgmental and always have an ulterior motive.  They usually want something when they’re talking to you.”

“That’s always the case.”  Tori shrugged.  “Even if it’s just information or a positive response to their clothes.”

“I don’t mind that.  It’s the ulterior motives when they want to use you for massive personal gain.”

“Like marrying your father?”

Ilyana scowled.  “I know I have to face them when I go back.”

“You haven’t returned to Gorask in years,” Tori said.  “Your situation has changed.”  Ilyana kept her eyes down and her lips tight. “Are you worried that when you go back, they’ll treat you the same?”

Ilyana shook her head quietly.  “I’m worried when I go back, I will act the same. Quiet and a sitting target for them to judge and criticize.”

Tori mulled over this for a moment.  Certain situations could indeed trigger a specific reaction.  If the environment in Gorask got to Ilyana, it would be understandable that she’d automatically react as she did in the past because that was what she was used to in Gorask.  If she reacted differently, she’d also be judged.

There was no win in that sense.

“Let them,” Tori said with defiance in her voice.  “Let them judge and criticize.  I know it can be hurtful, especially from peers and elders you were taught to respect, but we need to consider if their judgments and criticisms are of any value to you.  You are a fully independent and successful person without them.  Let them say what they want.  You don’t owe them anything.”

Ilyana looked at Tori with squinted eyes, as if trying to read Tori’s mind.  “It doesn’t bother you?”

“Of course, it bothers me.  So does a fly buzzing around when I’m eating.”  Tori let out a small scoff.  “But it’s minor and pointless to waste energy on.  We have so much to do, so much to see...why dwell on pointless criticisms from people we hold no value in?  No one has the capacity to deal with everything negative that comes their way and it’s too exhausting to do so.”

Ilyana took a deep breath and then laid back against the sofa.  “I always thought you focused your irritation into work and school.”

“I do, but a lot of people don’t like me and I’m aware of that,” Tori said.  “There are plenty of people at Lycée, both students and faculty who find me unpleasant.  Lycée’s board of directors has some issues with me, but only overlooks them because my achievements reflect well on the school.  There is that annoying dean and professor at Université I can’t stand, and I know I’ll have to deal with them when I start.  This doesn’t count  business competitors, political opponents, or other nobles who dislike me because of Piers.  Frankly, the more you stand out, the more attention you get, and the more people are likely to dislike you and try to find fault.”  She held herself back from telling Ilyana ‘haters gonna hate’.

Ilyana wrinkled her nose.  “You handle their negative criticism quite well.”

Tori’s eyes slowly crinkled up.  “I don’t have time to deal with them, Ilyana.”  Unless they were negatively affecting her work or school, she wouldn’t bother.  She willfully ignored unnecessary bullshit if she could.

She was like this in her original world, too.  She had too much to do, too many other interests she was enjoying, to dwell on people’s criticism and hate.

“I should do that,” Ilyana sighed.

“It takes time and a lot of conditioning for some people to let go and refocus their attention elsewhere.  Ideally, I wish you wouldn’t have to deal with it at all,” Tori said in a softer voice.  “Fifi and Robi, too.”

“I don’t want them to have to face what I did when I was young,” Ilyana replied.

Tori took a deep breath and nodded.  “Neither do I.”

The two sat around a bit longer, discussing what to expect and what to dress.  Ilyana’s ‘hot weather clothing’ was mainly clothing from the delta, but not suitable for the event they were attending, so Tori had asked for extra clothing for Ilyana to wear.  Tori was shorter and had a larger bust, so her clothes didn’t fit Ilyana well.

Idunn was a bit taller than Ilyana, but her clothes could be adjusted better.  Idunn had a few she’d not yet worn, and she didn’t feel were suitable for her age, so she gave them to Ilyana for the occasion.

If it weren’t short notice, Ilyana would’ve declined.  She took the simplest one and wore it the next day.

Tori threw on what her mother had selected for her without question.  Part of her didn’t want to overthink the process.  She and Ilyana headed to Fiona’s room to pick up the little girl, who was still in the midst of getting ready.

“I went to feed my chickens this morning,” Fiona said as she sat on a little cushioned stool in front of a vanity table.  A maid was carefully brushing her hair and putting it up into the two buns Fiona liked to wear with ribbons.  “There are more eggs.  Sir Peralta says we may have to expand.”

“Why don’t you move some of the older chickens to a different yard?” Tori asked.

“I’ll miss them!” Fiona replied.  “And I don’t want them to be too far from the rest of their family, too.”

“That’s a good point.”  Tori acknowledged her thoughtfully.

“Young miss, what color ribbon would you like?” the maid asked.  She held out a few draped across her arm, all of which had been pre-selected to match Fiona’s dress.

Fiona looked at them with a serious expression, even lifting the hem of her skirt to compare the colors with her dress.  “Green one!”

The maid smiled warmly and separated the green ribbons with the two small puffs on the ends, and tied them to Fiona’s hair buns.

Ilyana clasped her hands together and beamed.  “Our Fifi looks so cute!”

“And my dress has pockets!” Fiona gushed, sticking her little hands into the slits on the side of the dress.

Tori drew her lips inward.  She learned about the importance of pockets quickly.  “It’s a good dress.  Fabric is breathable, so you won’t get too hot.  Can you move?”

“Yes!”  Fiona hopped off her stool and raised her arms up and then twisted her waist.  “I can do a lot.  I can twirl and run....”  Fiona lowered her arms and scrunched her face.  “But it’s hard to fight in a dress.”

Tori raised a brow in question and Ilyana knit hers.  “You want to fight?”

“A Guevera should be ready,” Fiona said in a serious voice.  Tori bit her lips.

“Only engage when necessary, we went over this,” she said.  “Also, if things get bad, we have knights with us.”

“Robi says they won’t help in children’s fights,” Fiona replied with a stern nod.  She sighed, dramatically.  “I wish I could wear armor.”

“You want to wear armor to a social function?” Tori couldn’t keep the dismay off her face.  Fiona nodded.

“The knights say that armor is important in protecting you in battle.” Fiona looked up, as if trying to recount the exact words.  “And Daddy says that parties like this are like battles.”

Was this Kasen’s fault?  Tori cringed.  Well, he’s not wrong.

“Yes, you’re right.”  Ilyana spoke up next to her and nodded.  “Parties like this are a battle.”

Tori stared at the two for a moment.

“Clothing is like armor,” she said.  Ilyana and Fiona both looked at her with confusion.  “What you wear can both intimidate others and protect you, like armor.  The better your clothes, the better you wear them, the less opponents can find a weakness.  They can’t say you’re wearing your ribbon wrong if it’s on correctly.  They can’t say your clothes are ugly when they’re well made, tailored to fit you, and flattering.  In many ways, clothing is like armor and you should use it accordingly.”

Ilyana and Fiona looked at her with large, awestruck eyes, as if the thought of such a thing had never occurred to them.  To Tori, it was how she looked at clothing when she was in her original world.  How she dressed presented herself to the world and would indicate a lot about her.  While not important when she was at home or grocery shopping, clothing mattered when she was at work in a meeting, giving a presentation, or at a conference.

The same thought applied to her make-up, her jewelry, and her shoes.  What she wore was to prepare her for a day of battle, however mundane that battle was.

Sure, a blazer couldn’t stop a sword, but it could shut up a meeting room when she walked in looking like a boss.  That was good enough.

Fiona’s eyes widened and she seemed fired up.  “I’m wearing armor!”

“Not in a literal sense, but yes,” Tori said.  “Where is the fan we bought you?  It’ll be hot outside at the garden luncheon.”

Fiona lifted her arm and showed her the small fan that had a wrist strap Tori had added for her.  “I have it!”

“Okay, Ilyana?”

“I have mine, too!”  Ilyana’s also had a wrist strap.

“Great, let’s go!”  Tori led them out of Fiona’s room with Nanny Rey following behind them, unable to hold back her amused smile.  Robert was waiting for them down the hall, dressed in light colored shorts and a matching jacket over a pale shirt with a tie.

Fiona drew her head back and made a face.  “Robi, you’re going to get hot.”

Robert looked at her with a tired expression.  “I’m already hot.”

“Be sure to drink water, “ Tori said. “Do you want a fan?”

Robert shook his head.  “No, Auntie.  I don’t need one.  I brought my handkerchief to wipe my sweat.”

“If it gets too hot, go and sit in the shade,” Ilyana told them.  She let out a tired sigh.  “I forget it gets much hotter here and there isn’t a breeze like on the delta.”

“It takes getting used to, Auntie,” Robert reassured her.  He took his little sister’s hand and led her down the stairs carefully before heading to the main entrance where their carriage was waiting.

Antonia was standing to the side, playing with Valeria who was in Idunn’s arms.  Sebastian was with them.  Today was a ‘papa-daughter’ day while Idunn was out.

Kasen was waiting at the door and smiled upon seeing his two children.

“If you want me to come, I can still go,” Kasen told them as he knelt down.  The two shook their heads.

“Daddy, I am a big girl.  I can go by myself,” Fiona said with puffed cheeks.

“And I will watch her, Daddy.  Don’t worry.  We will act accordingly,” Robert added.

Kasen reached up and stroked their heads, eyes filled with warmth.  “If things start to get out of hand, and you are unable to get to your aunts, Grandma, or Nanny Rey, there is no need to restrain yourselves.”

Tori squinted.  What exactly did her brother mean by that?

The two children nodded obediently and hugged him before he took their hands in each of his and led them to the carriage outside.

“He’s such a good father,” Ilyana whispered to Tori with some awe.  Tori sighed and motioned her to follow.

Idunn handed Valeria to Sebastian, kissing both her baby and her husband, before stepping out.  Sebastian followed them all the way to the carriage.

“Fifi, Robi, if something happens, don’t overthink it.  Your father and I will take care of it,” Sebastian told the two children seated inside.

“Sebby....” Tori pursed her lips and Sebastian threw her a bright smile.

“It’s just a reminder, not instructions,” her brother replied.  “As long as the children are fine, there is no need to take care of anything.  Just remember you are Gueveras.”

Kasen nodded; the corners of his lips curled up a bit.  Tori couldn’t help but be suspicious.

“If anything happens, we will deal with it first,” Idunn said as she gave Sebastian a light tap on the head before climbing into the carriage.  “Don’t forget to give Val her nap later.”

“Of course, of course.”  Sebastian kissed the top of his daughter’s head and took her plump baby arm to give a wave to the carriage.  “Say bye-bye to Mama and Grandma and your aunties and cousins, Val.”

Nonsensical gurgles came from the child as the door was closed, but Tori and the others still waved.  The carriage went off and Antonia reached her side, where Fiona was seated by the window, and lifted her up.

“Fifi, remember that no one can shake your place in the family,” Antonia told her as she held her granddaughter on her lap.  “You are a Guevera.”

“The eldest Guevera granddaughter,” Idunn added.  “Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

Fiona nodded her head seriously.  “I have to be a good role model for Val.  She will be Marquess someday.  I have to support her.”

“Remember to use your words first,” Antonia said.  “If they try to push you, come and get us.”

Fiona nodded.  “I know.  I don’t have a dagger with me.”

The carriage was quiet for a moment and Tori shut her eyes.  That was not an option she thought a five-year-old should be given.

“You’re too young to be stabbing people,” Antonia broke the stunned silence.

Mama, no.  Tori rubbed her forehead.

Fiona looked stunned to hear this.  “How old do I need to be to stab someone?”

“Rather than being a certain age, you must consider the situation and if such an extreme action warrant stabbing.  It should be done only in self-defense, not because someone insulted you,” Tori told her in a firm voice.

Fiona made a little ‘o’ with her mouth.  She knit her brows together.  “Auntie, have you stabbed someone before?”

For a moment, Tori didn’t know how to react.  She had indeed stabbed someone before.  Twice.  “It doesn’t matter whether I have, or I haven’t.  We should not resort to such violence immediately.”

Robert squinted his eyes and looked at her from her left.  “That’s yes.”

Fiona gasped and looked up excited.  “Who did you stab?”

“A bad guy who wanted to take over the empire,” Tori said.  “It was in self and national defense.”

Fiona nodded.  “And...how old were you?”

“Fiona.”  Antonia gave her a dull look and Fiona giggled and buried her face in her grandmother’s arms.

Idunn and Ilyana were covering their mouths and looking away, their shoulders shaking as Tori rolled her eyes.  “Just let it out.”

A snort laugh came from her right as Ilyana released her laugh.  Idunn still tried to maintain her decorum and bit her lips tight.  Antonia sighed.

“Today’s party is hosted by Viscountess Navarro.  She has a very large family and there will be plenty of children.  Robi, we will be nearby but unable to follow you around. Nanny Rey will also need to remain with the other nannies, so keep an eye on your sister.”

“Yes, Grandma!”

“I’ll also keep an eye on Robi!” Fiona promised.  Robert rolled his eyes.  Their carriage reached the estate of the Navarro family.  The Viscountess’ eldest son was now the current Viscount, and Sir Gael Navarro’s uncle,  but she was the family matriarch and all social events through the family were hosted by her.

When they arrived, Tori’s mother led them directly to the Viscountess to greet her.  The rank of the Marquess allowed them an immediate audience.

“It’s good to see you again, Viscountess,” Tori said as she greeted the old woman.

“Countess, it’s good to see you.  As beautiful as always,” the old woman’s wrinkled eyes were smiling as she clapped Tori’s hand and squeezed.  “You came with the little ones this time?”

“Greetings, Viscountess Navarro,” Robert gave her a bow and Fiona did a curtsy.

“Greetings!” Fiona piped in a cheerful little voice.

“Oh my!  Come here, let me see them,” the old woman said as she beckoned them forward.  “Oh...so handsome and so beautiful!”

“Thank you!” the children chorused respectfully.

“And this is Lady Ilyana Agafonova, a friend of mine from Lycée du Soleil,” Tori said.

Viscountess Navarro looked at Ilyana and smiled.  “That name sounds familiar...do you also know my grandson, Gael?”

“Yes, Sir Navarro has visited us multiple times and we’ve played games with him,” Ilyana said with a smile.  “He’s also been a great mentor to our friend, Ewan, when he was in La Garda.”

“Ewan is that boy Gael likes, isn’t he?  Tell me, how is this Ewan?  Does he come from a kind family?  Status and wealth matter little.  What I value is that he will be treated well.  I don’t want my grandson to be wronged.” Viscountess Navarro furrowed her brows and Ilyana and Tori exchanged looks.

They didn’t know that Sir Navarro liked Ewan.  Did Ewan?  As soon as they could get away, they went to a corner of the garden to call him.

“Sir Gael?”  Ewan sounded confused.  “He’s never told me anything.  Are you sure the Viscountess said my name?”

“She mentioned you specifically,” Tori said.

“Oh...I’m flattered,” Ewan said, surprised.  “ Sir Gael is very sought after, but he didn’t show an interest in anyone while in La Garda.”

“Maybe he didn’t want to tell Ewan because of the four years of first tier knight training,” Ilyana said.  Tori nodded.  The four years left little time to see family and friends.  It would’ve been difficult to have a relationship.

“Maybe, but even if he did like me, I’m too busy right now,” Ewan said.  He sounded as if he were eating.  “I’m not looking for a relationship.  Henrik, pass those grape leaf roll things.”

Tori and Ilyana looked at each other again.  “What about after you finish first tier knights training?”

“Hmm...I want to be assigned to Tori, so that’s kind of more important.  And I like Sir Gael, but as friends.  I also don’t know if I’d want to date another knight.  It seems difficult since we could be assigned to different places,” Ewan said thoughtfully.

“Is that about Sir Navarro?” They heard JP’s voice in the background.

“Yeah, Tori and Ilyana say his grandmother says he likes me.”

“Oh, that.  Yes, he likes Ewan.  I heard that he liked Ewan the first time they met,” JP said, casually.

“What?” Ilyana gasped.

“At that winter ball when I brought Ewan the first time?” Tori found herself getting excited.  “No wonder he’s so attentive to Ewan!”

“I thought he was just being nice.”

“You think everyone is being nice to you,” Henrik’s voice said with some annoyance.  “This is why Leticia Peters cried and threw her notebook at you in primary school.”

“Huh?”

“And why David Matheson thought you didn’t like boys,” JP added.

“But I like everyone.”

Tori crinkled her eyes.  She wasn’t surprised he didn’t pay attention.  There were only two things in Ewan’s head most of the time: knighthood and food.  Even the confessions and love letters he received were received like fan mail.  They heard Constantine sigh.

“Ewan, you must be more sensitive to those around you.”

“Do you like me, too?” Ewan asked with a surprised gasp.

“Not like that.”  Constantine was quick to answer.

Tori lifted her hand to rub her forehead.  “Ewan, whatever you want to do in the future, we will support you.  Don’t feel pressured to do something you don’t want to do.”

“I won’t!” Ewan replied cheerfully.  Tori ended the call and looked at Ilyana, who let out a disappointed breath, as if she’d missed something that should’ve been obvious.

“I didn’t think that someone would fall in love with Ewan at first sight,” she said.

“Let’s give Ewan some credit,” Tori replied.  “He’s a cheerful young man with good prospects and is well connected.  Not to mention everyone likes to be around him.”

“All Ewan talks about is training and eating.  Sometimes games.”

“Maybe Sir Navarro has a type.” Tori offered, though she was trying to remember the exact details of when they met Sir Navarro.

“Do first tier imperial knights get to choose who they are assigned to?” Ilyana asked.  Tori shook her head.

“No, they have no say in it, though family members can request specific knights,” Tori said.

“Are you going to request Ewan when he’s done with training?  Let him live his dream for following you around to eat new food?” Ilyana asked as they wandered back towards the crowd of guests.

“I’m not an imperial family member.”  Tori rolled her eyes and then tightened her lips into a line.  “But yes, if I’m going to be assigned imperial knights, I’m going to request Ewan.”  She could trust Ewan and that was important to her.

Ilyana let out a small snort.  “Lucky.”

Tori chuckled and looked for a place to stand and nurse some drinks so she could point out some people in the crowd.  It was up to her mother and Idunn to do most of the socializing, so she didn’t have much pressure on her.  Ilyana also knew some of the guests from Sebastian’s wedding last year and tried to remember who they were.

“She’s engaged?” Ilyana looked taken aback.  “But isn’t she our age?”

“That’s what I said,” Tori replied with a nod.  “This is why I was telling you that I had to figure out some excuse because I knew they’d ask.”

“Prince Piers.” Ilyana said his name as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

Tori gave her a deadpan expression.  “All the way down here, they won’t acknowledge any sort of relationship unless there is a formal engagement.”

“Then ask Prince Piers to marry you.  He’ll say yes.”  Ilyana encouraged Tori, only to be met with a dull look.  Ilyana grasped her arm.  “He will.  I know he will.”

“I know he will, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to create a fake engagement,” Tori grumbled.  She read fanfiction in her youth in her original world.  She knew what happened once a ‘fake engagement’ came about.  She also knew that Piers would get too into it.

Ilyana huffed.  “Then what about a fake engagement with someone else?  Constantine is always a good choice.  I will also volunteer if you need me.  You always say I am very pretty and smart.”

Tori rolled her eyes once more.  “You are, but I’m not going to use my friends if I can help it.  I even had concerns with Piers and I using each other.”

Ilyana scoffed as they circled the garden and towards an area where a bunch of children were running around a shallow fountain.  “All those women thought they could compete with you....”

“Let’s not get into that-”

“Yes, he is my uncle!”  Fiona’s high-pitched voice sounded on the verge of crying, but in anger, not so much sadness.  “I can prove it!”

Tori and Ilyana looked at each other and then looked towards the fountain.  Fiona didn’t appear to have been in a tussle.  Her clothes were still neat, and her ribbons were in even, untouched hair buns.  It was just that her little face was twisted with anger and flushed as she stood rooted in place, her hands fists at her sides as a trio of little girls perhaps a little older than her stood across from her.

“The Crown Prince is not your uncle,” one little girl huffed with her hands on her hips.  “I heard that the Crown Prince doesn’t like people.”

“Uncle Piers likes me!” Fiona insisted.  “He gave me a birthday present.  He sent me a chicken purse and a gold coin!”

Before the little girls could cut in, Robert had swept over.  “Fifi, don’t brag about what Uncle Piers sent,” he chided gently as he reached Fiona’s side and touched her head.  “You didn’t do anything to earn it; it was a gift.”

Fiona’s cheeks were puffed out in frustration.  “But they said that Uncle Piers isn’t my real uncle.”

“Well...not yet,” Robert replied in a placating voice.  “Uncle Piers hasn’t married Auntie Tori yet.  When they get married, then he’ll be our real uncle.”

“Wait....”  Tori crinkled her eyes and Ilyana muffled a giggle.

“But it doesn’t matter whether they get married or not.  Uncle Piers treats us very well.  Not many people can call him Uncle Piers,” Robert told his sister.  Fiona looked down and seemed to consider this.

“So...he’s not my real uncle?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh...that’s disappointing.”  Fiona looked at the three girls.  “Okay, you’re right.  He’s not my real uncle yet, but he still likes me.”  She said this in such a blasé tone that the other little girls seemed unsure how to react for a moment.

“You...you really know the Crown Prince?” one of the other little girls asked, uncertain.

Robert looked at them with a cool and relaxed expression on his face.  Tori swore that if she didn’t know any better, Robert was Kasen’s birth son.  “I see you were not present at our Uncle Sebastian’s wedding last summer.  His Imperial Highness Prince Piers was a guest, as he was the sword pupil of Uncle Sebastian, and a good friend of Auntie Tori.”

“Auntie Tori is Countess Victoria de Guevera, Daddy’s little sister,” Fiona piped, as if trying to educate the others.

“But...how can you know him?  You are just adopted children.”  The confusion in the third little girl’s voice made Tori tilt her head to the side and frown a bit.  Someone was purposely feeding these children misinformation to hurt Fiona and Robert.

“Yes,” Fiona nodded.  “Daddy adopted us.  He loves us a lot and everyone says that we are a Guevera.”

“We cannot inherit any titles, but we are treated no differently than our cousins,” Robert added.  He cocked his head to the side.  “Have people told you that we are treated badly?”

A small crowd of children gathered around them.  One of them, a boy about Robert’s age, gave him a curious look.

“Isn’t that the case?  You’re not blood related.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Robert said with a shrug.  “Our Daddy loves us.  We’re even going on vacation with our aunt this summer.”

“Robi, Fifi,” Tori heard her title and walked towards them with a bright smile.  She had to back them up somehow.  “There you are.  I’m going to call Henrik and see if he can get us some fruit and milk to make chilled fruit cream when we get home.  What fruit do you want?”

“Strawberries!” Fiona answered with fierce determination.

Robert looked at his sister and nodded.  “Strawberries, Auntie.  And some peaches?”

“All right, peaches and strawberries it is,” Tori said.  She looked at the other children with relaxed blue eyes.  “Are these your friends?”

A few children shifted awkwardly, and many avoided her eyes.  Robert and Fiona also hesitated.  Fiona looked at her brother and then looked at the other children.

“They’re not my friends,” Fiona said as she lowered her eyes.  “They don’t like me and called me a liar.”

“Why did you call my niece a liar?” Tori asked as she looked at the children.  “She has not lied about knowing the Crown Prince and she calls him uncle.”

The other children looked around, but didn’t want to say.

“Auntie, it’s all right,” Robert said as he grasped Tori’s arm.  “Fifi doesn’t need to make friends with mean children with no manners.”

“I have manners!” A child immediately defended herself.

Robert sent her a cold look.  “Then why did you call my sister a liar?  You have no proof she was lying.”

Fiona half hid behind her brother.  “They said people told them I was a liar.  I’m not a liar....”

“We know you’re not a liar,” Ilyana said with a soft smile as she knelt down beside Fiona.  “Our Fifi is a bright and smart girl.  You’re not a liar at all and anyone who believes it is a fool.”

Tori raised a brow and looked at Ilyana, who seemed to be speaking from her own experience once more.

“I will share my chilled fruit and cream with you, Auntie,” Fiona said as she rubbed her head against Ilyana’s shoulder.  “You and Uncle Ewan and Auntie Sonia and the handsome uncle.”

“Who’s the handsome uncle?” Tori asked.

“Constantine,” Ilyana replied.  Tori’s brows shot up, but nodded in agreement.

“Fifi, you don’t have to make friends with people who are mean to you,” Robert told his sister.  “And if they don’t want to be your friends, then we won’t be friends with them.”

“Wait!” one of the boys Robert’s age stepped forward.  “I didn’t say I didn’t want to be friends with you.”

Robert eyed him with suspicion.  “Why, though?”

“My Uncle Gael says that you come from a good family and that you’re a good child, so I should give you a chance and get to know you,” the boy said.  He looked at Tori and Ilyana with some hesitation.  “You know my Uncle Gael, right?  Sir Navarro?  He says the Countess and her friends are very kind to him.”  He looked back at Robert.  “If they’re kind, they’re probably a good person, too.”

Robert seemed to think it over.  “All right,” he said.  “Auntie is here for a few more days...”  He looked at Tori.  “Can we invite a few kids our age?”

“Is that all right with you, Fifi?” Tori asked.

Fiona looked at the other children and nodded. “You can come, but if they’re mean, I’ll kick them out!”  She held up a little fist and Tori nodded.

“That’s fair.”

“When can we go home?” Fiona said as she turned and grabbed onto Tori’s skirt.  She looked up at her with big eyes.  “I want to see my chickens.”

“You have chickens?” another little girl perked up.

“And a peacock,” Fiona said.

The other little girl looked excited and stepped forward.  “I have a goose!  His name is Saul and he’s all white.”

Fiona tilted her head to the side.  “We don’t have a goose at the Fortress.”

“Do you want to see him?” the little girl asked with eagerness all over her face.  “Hold on, I’ll ask my mom if you can come over to see him!”

The little run ran off before Fiona could stop her.  Robert furrowed his brows.  “People who really like animals are...interesting.”

Tori nodded.  “Indeed....”

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

“This is the strangest playdate for children I’ve ever seen,” Henrik said as he walked out into the courtyard for an afternoon snack, only to see a half dozen children sitting in a circle nearby, each with some sort of pet.  He squinted.  “Is that a white peacock?”

“His name is Franco, and he is the pet of Lady Lourdes del Torre,” Tori said in a lazy voice as she leaned back against the table from her seat and bit into a churro.  “I can’t believe it took me three days to arrange this.”

“At least Fiona looks like she’s having fun,” Ilyana replied.  Fiona had been filled with pride when she showed her guests that Prince Piers, the chicken, could jump over the little hurdles.

The little girl in question had a serious look on her face.  “Yes, I’ve also found that they escape sometimes.  Santiago likes to fly off, but now Prince Piers is also flying off.  Daddy says this is normal, but Gramps says that if Prince Piers is in his garden again, he’s going to put him in a stew.”

The children all seemed to murmur in agreement and worry.  “Papa also says that if Chewy and Chubs keep eating the flowers in the garden, he’ll have our cook cook them.”  A little girl hugged one of the large white ducks next to her as the other children gave her sympathetic looks.

Tori’s lips pulled into a line.  “They all look so serious.”

“Pet care is serious business,” Sonia replied.  “Though, I’m glad Fifi seems to have found common ground with these kids.  I’m surprised how many noble children have farm animals as pets.”

“Kasey says that it is a result of pragmatism in Sur,” Tori replied. This explained why no one had a problem with Fiona keeping chickens.  “But it’s also why there are so many fancy versions of horses, cattle, and farm birds.”

“How is Robi doing?” Constantine asked as he looked over.

“He went horseback riding with the older boys and that friend of his we’re bringing to Moss Hill with us.  Ewan and JP went with them,” Sonia said.  “Robi already has a calm, steadiness to him.  I can already tell you can depend on him.”

“He wants to go to Lycée,” Tori said.  “All his cousins plan to go, so he wants to go.  He already asked if he could stay in Viclya on his days off.”

“I wish you were my aunt,” Sonia smirked.

Tori scoffed.

“Auntie Tori.” Fiona approached with Alexander beside her.  “I want to serve the chilled fruit cream to my guests now.”

“Did you all already finish feeding your pets?” Tori asked as she stood up and brushed her pant legs.

“Fifi, we should feed them first!” One of the little girls gasped.  “We can’t eat while they’re hungry!”

“You’re right.  We’ll feed them first.  Sir Peralta!  Sir Javier!  Sir Mondragon!  Please prepare the pens and food!”  Fiona called out.  Several knights who were named, along with others, seemed to melt from around the courtyard to prepare a place for all the visiting pets to be contained and eat.

Food prepared for each pet was handed out.  As the children laughed and fed their pets, comparing how they ate with each other, Tori had the ice crystal plate prepared for the chilled fruit cream.  She kept a close eye on Fiona and how she interacted with the other children.  All were excited and stopped to point out things about other animals.  They huddled together and giggled.

Tori smiled as her heart settled.  Fiona and Robert would be fine.

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

“Is he just throwing his work at you and then leaving to play?” Tori’s voice grew irate with each word.  Most people would become nervous or worried when the person they were speaking to begin to yell, but to Piers, Tori’s outburst regarding his father made him smile.  “He knows you’re still working on the investigation on Duraga infiltrators and discussing what to do about ‘smugglers’ with Hong and Varsha.  Why is he making you do his work, too?”

“He wants me to have more experience in the day-to-day duties and responsibilities.”

“Oh, bullshit!  That shitty old man just doesn’t want to do the boring, mundane work!”  Not many people had the bravery to call his father, the Emperor of Soleil, a ‘shitty old man’, but Tori tended to swear when she was angry.  He once saw her swear at a door handle when her jacket got caught on it after a particularly frustrating day.  “Since he is making you do day-to-day responsibilities, is he taking on any of the major ones?”

Piers thought for a moment and his lips pulled down a bit.  “No.”

“Then what has he been doing?  Additional work?”

“He took Mother to Viclya yesterday.”

There was a period of silence before Tori let loose some profanity.  “You are overworked as is! What kind of father-”

“Tori, I can do it.”  He used a softer voice to quell her anger.  “The day-to-day work is very simple, and one can do it with their eyes closed.”

She grumbled something incoherent, and he could almost see her glaring.  “I’m going to call them and tell them that everyone, including the Emperor, is prohibited from getting on a crystal steamship due to testing.”

“I have mentioned this to Master Ramos and they have taken all the crystal powered steamships, with the exception of the transport vessels, out to sea for testing for the duration of my parents trip.”

Tori was not the only one who was petty.

His father had gotten a taste of the fast boats flying over the water and loved it too much, Piers could not allow him to enjoy it at the price of work.  His parents could always ride a transport vessel, but they had a speed limitation and moved around the islands and to and from the mainland in a set pattern and on a fixed schedule as public transportation.

His parents could also go to Isle de Rois and eat to their heart’s content from the restaurants sponsored in part by allied nations, but being unable to get on a large boat to cruise the bay with the wind whipping through his hair would certainly be a blow to his father.   Who told him to abandon his work to his son so he could ‘have a romantic weekend’ with his wife?

Piers had nothing against his father making time to spend with his mother, but that sort of thing should’ve been planned around one’s workload without getting others involved.  No matter how much he wanted to see Tori, Piers didn’t leave his work behind when he went to see her.  He either got it done before he left or brought it with him.

It wasn’t that he loved paperwork, as everyone seemed to think.  It was just that he knew that if he finished the work required of him, then he would have more time to do what he enjoyed, go where he wanted, and be with who he wanted to be with.

Although, paperwork was interesting and he enjoyed both the challenges and the successes of it.  He didn’t understand why everyone always complained about it.  He thought it was satisfying.

“Since you’re getting more and more work, just make sure to pace yourself.  I don’t want you falling asleep at your desk because you’re exhausted.”  His heart ached as he heard her concerned plea.

“I am pacing myself.  I won’t sleep at my desk.”

He heard her sigh.  “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“No, you are on vacation.” Warmth spread through him at her words.  “You should rest.  Our work is going smoothly.  We have found another hub.”

A hub was the term they used to call a hidden space where a sizable number of enemies had either been transported through, were hiding in, hiding in and left, or where used some sort of storehouse to support those enemies.  The cave system beneath the village that Tori collapsed was the largest and so far, nothing else had come close.

Their people were scouring the areas of the northern Central Corridor, as well as monitoring Rosiek’s associates carefully.  They were moving around often and must’ve suspected that they were being watched.

Tori let out a heavy sigh.  “I’m worried you’re doing too much.”

“Axton is here, and I am working with Marquess Nordersin and the Nord March for assistance,” Piers told her.  There were over ten thousand people hidden in the caves Tori collapsed, but not all of them were killed.  Some had managed to get out before and during the collapse, so they were being tracked to find other hubs and infiltrators.  “Do not worry.  How are Fifi and Robi?”

“They’re getting along much better with children-hold on.  There is a knock at my door.”  Piers was quiet as he heard rustling.

“Auntie!”

“Baby, what are you doing here?  I thought you could sleep in your own room now,” he heard Tori say.

“No, I want to stay here.”  That was Fiona’s voice and Piers let out a small, quiet sigh.  It seemed that he had to give up her attention tonight.  “Are you talking to Uncle Piers?”

“Yes, do you want to say hi?”

“Hi, Uncle Piers!”

“Hello, Fifi,” Piers replied.  He leaned back against his chair.  “I heard you made new friends.”

“Yes!  At first, they didn’t want to be my friends because they heard bad things about me, but they said they misunderstood and that they like me and my pets.  Daddy went with me to visit some of their homes to see their pets.  They have geese and ducks and chickens and a peacock-”

“Do nobles in Sur enjoy raising farm animals?” Piers asked.

“It is a select group of children.  There are other pets, like cats and dogs, horses and cows,” Tori said.  According to Tori, though, only those who raised farm birds seemed to really want to befriend Fiona and whom Fiona was really interested in.

“Coco promised me geese once her geese’s eggs hatch,” Fiona said.  “She says that they will live a good life here and she can be sure they won’t be eaten.”

“Are you giving away any of your chickens?” Piers asked.

“Everyone already has chickens,” Fiona seemed pout.

“Do you want birds for your next birthday?” Piers asked.

“What kind of birds?”  As usual, the child was curious.

“I was recently gifted a few tall, slender birds.  I believe they are also waterfowl, as they remain standing on one leg over water, but they have a strict diet.”

“Are they pink?” Tori asked with a hint of trepidation in her voice.

“Yes.”

“Someone gave you flamingos?”  She sounded as if it were absurd, but Piers looked out his window and past the garden, to a shallow pond in the distance where a handful of light pink birds were standing.

“The King of Pargath sent them,” Piers said.  “Fifi, when you visit, come to the palace to see them.  If you like them, I will give you a pair.”

“Uncle Piers, I love you,” Fiona said in a serious voice.

He smiled a bit at the little girl’s flattery.  “I was told you can also eat them.”

“Piers, let’s ease back on eating the flamingos,” Tori sounded tired.  “Fifi, are you ready to go to bed?”

“I’m ready!”

“All right.  Piers, I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Tori said.

The call ended and Piers lowered the comcry.  He looked back at the work on his desk and began to put them away.  It was time to go to bed, too.