The children started giggling.
It was nice to hear them giggle, especially the boys. Too often lately, they'd been trying to act older than they were. I wanted them to be children for as long as possible.
“Okay, where were we?” I got back to the book.
“Rivella went to the Earth Kingdom,” Brevyn said.
“Ah, yes. Here we go.” I started to read again, “Rivella wandered the Earth Kingdom, meeting many interesting people. At last, she came to a small town where everyone was rushing about in excitement. The scent of flowers and bread filled the air. Rivella went to one of the townsfolk and asked the man what was happening. The man said, 'Oh, King Rory is holding a great feast tonight to celebrate winning the Crown Tourney. He is yet without a wife, so many of the eligible ladies are hoping to catch his eye.'Rivella thanked the man and walked on. She had no care to catch the eye of a king. In her experience, kings were best avoided.” I chuckled and slid a grin at Arach. “That's rather good advice. Did she base it on you?”
“Of course not,” he sniffed.
“Uh-huh.”
“You're luckyyoudidn't avoid me, A Thaisce,” Arach drawled.
“I suppose.”
He growled.
“Daddy, stop it!” Samara smacked him. “My story!”
Arach sighed dramatically. “Are you not asleep yet?”
“No, I'm listening.” She grimaced. “Trying.”
I made anoh-slamface at Arach, and he widened his eyes from me to our daughter.
“You are becoming more and more like your mother every day,” Arach drawled.
“Thank you,” Samara said.
I chortled.
“Mommy. Story,” she said.
“Yes, of course. My apologies.” I went back to the story. “Rivella purchased some food, then strolled through the village, watching all the activity. Then something caught her eye. Through a window, she saw a young girl get festooned in layers of bright blue silk, women fussing around her. It wasn't the finest garment Rivella had ever seen. In fact, it was quite plain for a dress made in Faerie. No magic was involved at all. But then it was a small village whose residents couldn't afford fine garments. And it was still a very lovely dress. Rivella cocked her head, wondering when she had last attended a feast at Castle Aithinne. She couldn't recall. Suddenly, she had a longing to wear pretty clothes and dance with handsome men, maybe even eat some tasty food and drink fey wine. Yes, she would go to this feast after all, and she would be the most wonderfully dressed woman there.”
“Sure, it was the wine that lured her.” Arach rolled his eyes.
I ignored him and continued, “Rivella waited for night to fall, then, hidden in the forest, she unpacked one of the gowns she had brought with her. It was her very best gown and had been a gift from the King of Fire himself.” I looked over at Arach with lifted brows.
“You know I was not celibate before we met.”
“Arach! You . . .” I looked at our children, then amended what I'd been about to say, “You reallyknewher?”
“I may have known her better than others.”
“So youarethe one she based her opinion of kings on.”
“Vervain,thatis a story told by someone other than Rivella. They have no idea how she felt about kings.”
“What did you do to her, Arach?”
“Nothing!” He rolled his eyes. “Why must you assume I did something horrible?”
“Because I remember what you were like when we first met.”
“I was a perfect gentleman.”
