Part III, Chapter One: Danitia Is Told What Is Not Pining

Part III: Zhian

"Family and alcohol are alike in the sense that they are both the cause of and solution to any given problem." --Zhi novelist, c. 1100 AE

April 15, 1112 AE
River's Gate Farm, Shouchuen, Zhian

"I thought I heard some level of adult conversation down here," Danitia stated with a grin as she descended the stairs and stepped into her brother's embrace. "What are you doing here? I would've thought you'd have something more exciting planned for your day off than a visit to your sister's house."

"Who says I don't?" asked Aurius slyly as he kissed her cheek. "Maybe I'm just here to leave Athayos with you while I go and gamble away my earnings."

Danitia chortled. "Oh, Aurius--you don't even know a straight from a flush."

"What the hell is a flush?"

Smug, Danitia rolled her eyes. "Case and point."

Aurius sniffed. "In any case, how is it that you have come to think yourself an expert on shady card games?"

She tilted her head and smiled mischievously. "I have my ways."

Chuckling, Aurius placed his hands on Danitia's swollen middle and shot a loving glance toward her bulge. "You hear that? Seems like your papa and your brother can't keep your mama out of trouble; I suppose her safety rests with you, little one."

Danitia clicked her tongue. "Not even born yet and already burdened; poor baby."

"You'll have to tell Covius and Caius to pick up the slack, then."

"And give up my illicit gaming? I think not!"

Aurius tossed back his head as he gave her belly one last gentle pat. "Oh, Dani--wherever did I go wrong with you?"

"Well, you must have gone right somewhere," she surmised, "seeing as I live in a nicer house than you do."

He shrugged. "Fair enough."

Shaking her head, she laced her arm around his and led him to the couch, past the two small boys playing on the rug and Covius seated nearby. "Let's sit, shall we? This baby is even heavier than he looks."

"You know, they always say that... but once they're out of the womb, the babies are so light that you wonder why they were ever complaining," mused Covius, looking briefly to Athayos and Caius.

Danitia frowned. "We've been over this--once you've spent nine months with one inside you, then you're allowed to have an opinion."

Covius swallowed; it never failed. "I'll shut up now."

An obscure sort of grimace on his face, Aurius leaned forward in his seat and locked eyes with Covius. "Well, it seems that my sister managed to train you up quite well."

Danitia caught sight of her own lashes as her eyes narrowed. "Says the man who's still pining away after two years of separation from his own woman with absolutely no attempt at contact or even reply on her part."

"Dani, I've told you a thousand times--there is a considerable difference between 'pining' and not actively seeking the company of other available women."

"Speaking of available women," piped up Covius, a devious glint in his eye, "guess who I ran into in the marketplace earlier this week? Shou Mi-Shia. You know, Lady Shouchuen's maid's eldest?"

Aurius nodded. "Of course I know her; I work with her mother, remember?"

Covius sank back into the couch, crossing his legs. "She's about seventeen or so now. Very nice girl--talkative, but not to the point of being obnoxious. Very pretty too."

Danitia turned to face her husband. "So you noticed."

"Well, obviously not as pretty as you, love."

"Better."

"Are they always like this?" Athayos demanded of his young cousin as they maneuvered their dolls about the walls of the toy castle. Caius was too young for too verbal a reply, so he simply shook his head, banging the wooden figure against the crenelation in the process. A preciously skeptical look crossed Athayos's features. "Right..."

Aurius placed his elbows on his knees and winked at his son. "You must admit, though, that either one of these two is a much more handsome specimen than your scary old father."

Athayos shrugged. "That's neither here nor there."

Danitia exchanged a few snickers with her husband and her brother--children! It wouldn't be long before Caius was speaking in sentences as well. It would be even less of a wait before his little sibling arrived. She wished Aurius would just hurry up and find a wife already; as someone who never had any cousins, it might have been nice to have more than just the one to offer her babies.

Fortunately, Covius seemed to have the same idea. "Anyway, I had a little talk with Mi-Shia, and I think you and her would get along quite splendidly, Aurius--and you know, she specifically said that she finds single fathers very attractive."

Danitia snorted. "I'm sure."

"Well... maybe not that specifically--but she implied it, I assure you!"

Aurius sent Danitia an amused smile, then shifted his focus to Covius. "I've met the girl, you know. She is very nice, and quite pretty. But you know, there's nice and there's... well... you know..."

"What?" chimed Athayos.

His father laughed. "I don't know the word for it, son; just... something. Uncle Covius knows what I'm talking about--right, Covius?"

"Well, yes," Covius admitted, his brow furrowing, "but sometimes it takes time for that something to show itself. It doesn't always just dance into your life; sometimes you have to look for it."

Danitia nodded. "He's right, Aurius. Covius and I knew each other for a few years before we fell in love, and now that I think about it, we're probably stronger because of that. And really, you can't honestly expect Athayos to grow up without a mother, can you?"

Aurius took a moment to consider, the heel of his boot rising to the base of the couch and falling back to the floor. "We'll see what happens, I suppose. Anyway, have you two thought of any names for the new baby? It would be nice if at least one of your children doesn't get stuck with one that Covius just thinks up at the last minute."

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