Family Matters
© 2022 by M. Mitch Marmel

Thumbnail art by  tegerio, color by  Major Matt Mason

Part Thirty-two



Anastasia:

I had anticipated a nice talk with my new daughter-in-law, with tea and a sampler of Stormy's excellent cakes, as I explained to her where she stood in the Household, what was expected of her, and to satisfy my curiosity as to why she challenged Belladonna Sumac.

More fool I.

“Una Sawyer and the Raccoon Queen, Ma’am,” Nippy said as the doe and the sow came into my office at the Annexe. That was the first surprise. At least, Una had given me the honor of changing out of her riding leathers into a green dress with lace trim. The Raccoon Queen, of course, was wearing her Regalia, and had paused at the threshold to not only wipe her feet, but to pronounce a cantrip to make sure that she didn’t track any dirt inside.

We all sat down, and I was tempted to ask Nippy to bring in more cakes, because I know Tessie likes to eat when stressed. Much to my surprise, however, she made no move toward the cakes, although she looked at them rather fixedly for a long moment, her right ear twitching.

To my further surprise, she greeted me in proper Elfhamian, and when I complimented her, she informed me modestly that any praise should be directed toward Mrs. Fletcher.

I decided to start things off by offering tea. Una accepted a cup, saying that she hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since before the second Challenge. By the Stars, that was five days ago, and I found myself pressing her to have at least one cake.

I poured a cup for the Raccoon Queen and gestured toward the sugar bowl. “How many lumps, er, Raccoon Queen?”

The sow quickly demurred, raising a paw almost defensively, and Una said, “I doubt the [First-of-Eldest] plans on hitting you on the head.” Tessie visibly relaxed and meekly asked for one lump of sugar.

I sensed that there was a story there, and I asked.

Tessie sighed and said, “The Wolf Queen asked me that once, and when I said two, she hit me on the head with her spoon.” Her ear flicked. “I was lucky, though. The Wolf Queen has done that to the Master several times.”

I couldn’t help but blink. “Several times?”

“Yes, [First-of-Eldest.]”

I was going to have to ask Westersloe about that, but later.

We sat and drank for a few moments, and Una had a second cake. “These are very good, Ma’am,” she said.

“Thank you. My adopted daughter Stormy makes them.” Una nodded in a non-committal manner, and I looked from one to the other as I said, “I hadn’t expected to speak with both of you at once. It’s a little surprising.”

The two exchanged glances, and Una said, “We spoke together before we came here, [First-of-Eldest]. Arrangements had to be made, you understand.”

“The wedding, for example,” Tessie added.

Una nodded. “Although Sixth and I are married [Under-the-Stars], the Raccoon Queen has a claim, as I’m sure you understand.” I nodded. “We propose to both marry Sixth, in the Temple, two Worship-days from now.”

“Hmm.” The timing was good, and I was sure that Brother Cellini would be pleased. It’d give everyone time to rest and recuperate after the Three Challenges. “And what about after?” I asked, raising the question that, I’m sure, all of you had been asking.

Again, the two looked at each other, and Una actually smiled. She had a pretty smile. “We decided that Tessie will have him on three alternating days – “

“And Una will also have him for three days,” Tessie said, smothering a giggle.

“ – And he can have Worship-days off.”

I found myself chuckling. It certainly was an equitable arrangement, and I refrained from asking what Sixth thought of it all. All three of them are adults, and can sort it out for themselves; besides, Sixth is a buck, and by law and custom in the Vale had no say in the matter. “The plan was to have you,” I said to Una, “and Sixth share a room at the Lodge. It’s currently Stella’s.”

Una frowned. “I don’t want to put anyone out – “

I raised a paw. “You’re not. Stella, as [Heiress of Elfhame], has her own place here in the Annexe. And your room at the Lodge will only be temporary, as the Master is having a house built for the three of you.”

“We saw the site on the way here,” Tessie said. “It looks quite nice.” She gave me and her future co-wife a wry smile. “I hope the bed’s big enough.”

Una and I chuckled. “Well, the weather is starting to get colder,” I remarked, and we shared a short laugh before I offered more tea. “Now, Una, I’d like to talk to you. Tessie, I know that you have a claim on Sixth, and you’re pregnant by him; I respect that, but Elves Don’t Lie, you’re not a roe-doe.” Tessie nodded and sipped her tea. “Una is to be the daughter-in-law of the [First-of-Eldest], and as such will be part of the [Doe-Moot] as well as part of my official Household.”

Una nodded. “Do I have to wear black?”

My ears swiveled. “I can’t force you, but it would be nice if you did. Presents a unified front, you see.”

“It’s not my color,” my daughter-in-law grumbled, gazing into her empty teacup. “I’ll play the game, [First-of-Eldest], but I’ll reserve black for Worship-days.”

I thought it over. “Best I can ask for. Tessie, I know that you must wear the Regalia as the Raccoon Queen, but supposedly that is only temporary.”

“Yes, Ma’am, but I have no idea when that might be.”

“Of course.” Nippy brought in another pot of tea, and Tessie apparently talked the Regalia into agreeing to allow her one cake. She was looking thinner than she had been when she was Westersloe’s maid.

After we’d had a few moments of quiet, I decided to put my hoof on the final question that had been prowling in the back of my mind. “Una?”

“Yes, Ma’am?”

“Why did you Challenge Belladonna?”

Una set her cup and saucer down. “Elves Don’t Lie, [First-of-Eldest]. It was Estvan Silverbrush who gave me the idea.”

“You strike me as a very strong-willed doe. Was that all he did?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I was out at the market one morning, and I encountered Mr. Silverbrush. He asked me if I had heard that the [Doe-Moot] and yourself were looking for a candidate to marry Sixth, and he asked if I had considered myself. I told him I hadn’t.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Really, Ma’am. He asked me to think about it, and went on his way.” The young doe swiveled her ears. “So I watched, and listened, and I realized something that, I think, the [Doe-Moot] has missed about your buck-fawn.”

“Oh?”

“I thought,” Una said carefully, “after watching and listening to Sixth, that he has great potential. Something that, forgive me, would be wasted if all a doe did was break rolling pins over his head. I’ve seen Sixth fall out of trees and out of the sky, and Mrs. Fletcher and others of the [Eldest] belaboring him, and he’s hardly ever stopped smiling. I thought that he needed a different approach, and the more I thought about it, the more I felt that I could provide that different approach.”

“And she’ll have help,” Tessie added, and Una nodded.

I sat back, thinking. There was little argument that Sixth had some varied and interesting Talents.

I just hoped that Una, and Tessie, would be able to help Sixth achieve his potential.

Before they killed him.


***


Winterbough:

Still and all, I thought things had settled down rather nicely. Construction on the New Annexe was about to start, and it was in the Lady’s paws that it’d be ready for occupancy before the first major snowstorms started up.

We were all at dinner, with my new daughters-in-law (yes, Tessie was there as well, and I kept glancing from one to the other, still expecting hostilities to break out), and Chef Ernest was proving to be a dab paw at turning the native ingredients into very tasty dishes. Anastasia and I had discussed allowing him access to the Greenhouse, and I had passed on our approval to him.

While we were talking, he regaled me with a story of one of his previous jobs, and how he left it.

“I had a customer order a burger sandwich and fried potatoes,” he said, “and I said, ‘Sorry, no fried potatoes.’ Then he asked for a grilled sausage and fried potatoes. Again, I said, ‘Sorry, no fried potatoes.’ When he asked for a fish sandwich and fried potatoes, I lost my temper. ‘Look,’ I said, ‘who put the sun in the sky?’ ‘The Brilliant Light.’ ‘Who put the moon in the sky?’ ‘The Brilliant Light.’ Then I asked, ‘Who put the ____ in french fried potatoes?’ He said, ‘There ain't no ____ in french fried potatoes!’”

Ernest grinned toothily. “I said, ‘PRECISELY! THERE AIN'T NO _____IN' FRENCH FRIED POTATOES!’ And I was dismissed – for that!" He buried his cleaver in the chopping block for emphasis.

I found myself making excuses to leave the kitchen as rapidly as possible.

As dinner segued into dessert, Sixth cut himself a generous wedge of iced persimmon cake, before turning to me. "[Know ye, sire of myself,]" he queried, "[that the Mistress of the Skies is in the mood radiant, and furthermore pleased down to her toe-claws?]"

Since I was focused on how much cake my buck-fawn was choosing to leave me, I only murmured a general negative response.

"[Ah! Wonderful it is in the sight of the Lady, sire of myself, for She is a skunk of home and hearth, and speaking of hearths, the heat of those is appropriate for wyrm-kind, the more so for the incubation of eggs.]"

My ears went straight up, and I looked at Anastasia, more from reflex than from anything else.

Much to my relief, since she’d approved it, she was smiling.

I thanked Sixth for this budget of news, and resolved to go up to Windy’s lair to congratulate her in the morning.




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