“You will find someday that parenthood is an endless stream of worries, Tharios,” Father says, and Grandmera smiles nearby.
“It is indeed. Now do as your healer has ordered. We will survive without you, and we know where to find you.”
Father turns to Gerault and speaks in Nunian. “Forgive us. Without delving into the details, the gist of our conversation is that my wife has not fully recovered from her years linking our children’s hearts. I trust you will look after our young ones while I see to replenishing my wife’s magic stores.”
“I won’t pretend to understand,” Gerault says, “but our young ones will be well cared for while you do what you need to do.”
“Including the ones upstairs?” Mother says with a laugh.
“Heaven help me,” Queen Yalisa murmurs. “It’s a good thing I was sitting down.”
Tharios grins. Thank the fates she doesn’t understand Elvish.
Ambushed
Episode 111
“Youshouldeatsomething,Rominy,” Tharios says after his parents leave.
Rominy understood enough of their Elvish conversation to be very glad Elowyn heard none of it.
He knows a lot more about life magic now, too. Stars above. Why couldn’t Elowyn have that one?
Not that he wishes for a moment that she were anyone other than who she is. His Elowyn. Fire and water. Strength and softness. His perfect match.
“Is it all right for me to leave her side?” Rominy asks. Not that he wants to. But he needs to stretch his legs. Visit the water closet. He sniffs himself. Shower.
“Follow what you feel, all right?” Tharios says. “But it should be fine as long as you don’t go far.”
“I’ll sit with her,” Grandmera offers, and Rominy nods as he gently extricates himself from Elowyn’s side.
“Thank you. All of you. For everything.” He catches another whiff of himself. “Do I smell as bad to the rest of you as I do to myself?”
Father chuckles. “Why don’t you get cleaned up? Take a few minutes to breathe?”
“Does anyone know where my trunk went?”
“It’s in our room,” Father says. “To get it out of the way.”
“Isit far?”
“Just a few doors down.”
Rominy glances at Tharios, who inclines his head.
“Maybe I’ll use your water closet, too,” Rominy says. It would be less awkward than using this one with everyone right here.
Father pushes himself to his feet. “I’ll go with you.”
Mother glances their way, clearly wanting to follow, but Father shakes his head, and she offers Rominy a smile. “You’ll feel better once you’re clean.”
“I’m starting to think I smell worse than I realized.”
The others hide smiles that convey far more than their words do. It’s a wonder Elowyn wanted anything to do with him.
He looks longingly back at her, and Tharios claps him on the shoulder. “She’ll be fine. And we know where to find you if she needs you.”
Rominy exhales slowly and nods again before following Father into the hallway. Father’s guards trail behind them on the short walk to the door to his and Mother’s room, and Rominy looks around. “Isn’t this Arisanna’s room? Or am I imagining things? Everything’s a bit of a blur.”
