Dalan protested, leaning precariously from Rosalind’s lap, his little legs kicking even as she placed him on the floor.He had a bit further to go to reach his father, and after a few tentative steps, he then chose to crawl the rest of the way.He wound up sitting next to Lara, who was chewing on the hilt of the dagger.
“Walking,” Mother Bercie clapped her hands in astonishment.“And so young,” she added as she took the mug of kavage that Amari was offering.“I remember when Jerrold took his first steps, he was much older and—”
Jerrold wasn’t about to spend any time listening to embarrassing baby stories.He shook his head at the offered kavage.“Said there was something you wanted to talk about,” he grumbled.
That changed the mood, settled the adults.“There is,” Orval said, putting down his kavage and taking a deep breath.Then he hesitated, with an odd bit of blush on his cheeks.
“We are expecting another child,” he blurted out.
The others seemed just as startled as Jerrold was.
“So soon?”Mother Bercie’s voice held that special tone of approval and disapproval all at the same time.
“You didn’t know?”Orval glanced at Amari.“We thought maybe Wethe would have told you.”
“Wethe is a healer,” Mother Bercie said.“She keeps her secrets.”She paused, then said, “Congratulations,” as a genuine smile appearing on her face.Jerrold knew his mother had a soft spot for babies.“Have you quickened?”
Amari blushed.“Not yet.”
His mother hummed, then continued, “But that isn’t what you asked us here to talk about.”
“Well, it is,” Orval said.“This gatehouse is no place to raise healthy children.”
Jerrold stiffened.Ah, that was what this was about.The high-and-mighty-Blood-of-Xy was going to demand his due, demand repairs to the Keep, demand this that and the other thing, never mind the drain on their resources, never mind the needs of the people, never mind the destruction his Blood had—
“We were wondering if we could relocate someplace closer to Waerington.To the village.”
Jerrold’s thoughts froze, like water in winter.
“Someplace with perhaps a room for a garden,” Amari leaned forward and for the first time he noticed she had no mug of kavage.“And a baking oven,” she said firmly.“I am tired of doing that over an open fire.”
“You don’t want to stay here?”Jerrold was shocked.All the blood spilled over the years for control of the Keep and this man was saying—
“No.”Orval said firmly.“This is no place for our growing Hearth.”He glanced down at the babies…the children at his feet, his expression a mixture of pride and worry.
“The Keep is the Lord High Baron’s right,” Rosalind was focused on one of the tapestries that lined the stone walls.“The Keep is the traditional seat of power.”She didn’t quite look at Orval.“Your power and authority as Lord High Baron.”
“And it’s defensible,” Roth added.“Once repaired.”
Ah, Jerrold thought.At least two members of the household didn’t agree with this decision.
But when the Lord High Baron spoke, his voice was firm and steadfast.He meant what he was saying.“I worry more about the health of my children than appearances.And remind me, just how long did you tell me that those repairs would take, Roth, even if we had the resources?”
“Years,” Roth admitted.
“And the Keep cannot sustain us.”Amari was just as firm.“No place to raise crops or even for a kitchen garden.And no working ovens—”
“You already mentioned ovens,” Orval said.
“Well, they are important,” Amari said.Pretty clear to Jerrold that they had already had this discussion, probably more than once.“And from the looks of the Keep garden, someone salted it.”Her voice carried a hush of horror.
“Probably all the Blood had time for before they retreated.”Jerrold growled.“Blow holes in the walls, fill the well with stones, salt a patch for show, and then put their tails between their legs and scamper like rats back to their holes.”He paused.“They burned the main fields, hoping to starve us.”
He waited for a response, for a flare of defensive anger at the accusation.But these people, these last vestiges of the Airion Blood of Xy, all just nodded grimly.
His mother had been silent so far, staring at the children, who were now exploring Orval’s shoes.“If you haven’t quickened, then we’ve some weeks yet.”she mused absently.“Did you have an easy time with these babes?”
Amari nodded and opened her mouth, but Jerrold wanted no part of that talk.He jumped in fast.“We can talk to the elders, consider the possibilities and then—”
